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Chapter Text

The world of Pokémon… a world of incredible adventures and deep, enriching experiences. But war… it had struck the region of Kanto, waged against its neighbour Johto. Johto won, that’s what the common man knew. That’s what Ego Yoshimura knew. But Ego was not a common man. Pink-haired and pink-eyed, Ego was the heir of a noble house fallen in disgrace, after the Kantonian army his father backed lost the war… after they got the Legendary Beasts by their side.

So, after his dad perished, Ego decided to join Team Rocket. The process was easy, and soon, he found himself in line to receive the starter assigned to everyone there. A Rattata.

“You! You are going to go to Mount Moon!” Petrel, the admin in charge of the new recruits, shouted. “Pick up the HM Fly from the lab, and get your ass moving!”

Ego did exactly that, as someone touched his shoulder.

“Oi, oi, oi! You seem pretty uptight for a grunt!” The green-haired guy smiled. “The name’s Ronnie! And I’m the evilest guy around!”

“I thought that was Admin Proton” Ego said, deadpan. “My name’s Ego, by the way”

“Second evilest” Ronnie specified. “But I’m still the coolest! Do you wanna be taught how we rob Pokémon here in Team Rocket?!”

“Haven’t you just joined too?” Ego asked.

“Joined yesterday!” Ronnie hummed, satisfied. “Follow me, will ya?!”

Ronnie guided Ego outside of their base in Celadon, to the open. Ronnie put himself in a position like he was scouting his surroundings.

“We are low-rank grunts, so we can only steal from kids and grandpas!” Ronnie said. “Oh, kid detected! Let’s go!”

Ego followed him. A rose-haired girlie was playing around.

“Talk to her and challenge her to a battle!” Ronnie grinned.

Ego approached her. The kid smiled, gentle.

“Hello, Mr!” She said, happily. “What’s up?”

“Battle me” Ego said, his eyes glinting with determination.

“OK!” The girl said. “Here are my Pokémon! I got them from my birthday today!”

There wasn’t time to feel shitty. Ego defeated in battle both the Pidgey and the Spearow that the kid had. Then, Ronnie approached her from behind.

“That was a good battle, mister…!” Ronnie put her hands behind her back, inmovilizing her. “W-what?! What are you doing?! Stop!”

“Pick up a Pokémon, bud!” Ronnie said, jolly. “You first!”

Ego felt disgusted as he picked up the Spearow. Ronnie stole the Pidgey and dropped the girl, who fell to her knees, crying her eyes out.

“I’m gonna tell mommy!” She screamed, as she ran away. “MOMMYYYYYY!!!”

“Ah… making a child scream! There’s nothing more evil than that!” Ronnie smiled.

“And that’s a good thing?” Ego asked.

“We’re Team Rocket, pal! Being evil is, like, our thing! That makes us cool! Come on, teach your Pokémon the move Fly and go!” Ronnie said.

Ego saw Ronnie flying away, and decided to stay and train. Within the city, someone who was depressed due to the huge number of Pokémon in the world gifted him an Eevee, and Ego stole a Poliwag from an old gambler who camped right outside Celadon. 

He trained that team in the surrounding routes, as he got to know them better. Poliwag was a bit of a scoundrel, while Eevee was really curious about his environment. Rattata was scared at first, but Ego managed to break his shell, while Spearow outright hated him. Logical, as the girl was manhandled rather violently by Ego.

“Spear! Spearow!” He pecked him in the head.

“Ouch! Damn bird!” Ego mouthed off. “Stop hurting me, that won’t bring you back with her! This PokéBall is mine now!”

Spearow looked at him awry. Ego folded his arms, as he brought everyone back to their PokéBalls.

“Spearow, use Fly” He muttered.

Spearow used Fly, carrying Ego to Mount Moon. Petrel looked at him, angrily.

“You’re late!” He said.

“I apologize. I was getting ready” Ego apologized.

“Everyone’s already inside. Go look for some fossils we can sell around! There’s a scientist from the Pewter Museum working with us” Petrel commanded him.

Ego nodded, as he ventured inside. He approached a group of Rockets who were chatting.

“Dude, this kid, he beat me up good in a battle!” A guy said.

“What?! A kid?! You are a bad grunt, dude” Ronnie said.

“That kid is no slouch. He’s got a Wartortle and everything!” The same guy said.

“A Wartortle?!” A female grunt asked. “Those Pokémon are so rare, they’re practically war weapons! And this kid was, like… fourteen?”

“Eleven!” The guy said.

“Eleven?!” Ronnie asked. “I can’t believe it! Come on! An eleven kid can’t do shit, let alone carry a Wartortle!”

“I’m going to the Pokémon Center to heal” The guy said.

“I’m dipping too” The woman said. “I’m NOT facing a Wartortle today”

They dipped, as Ronnie scoffed.

“Can you believe it, Ego?!” Ronnie asked. “Come on! Let’s look for fossils!”

Ego went looking, but he found some grunts disappointed to find a Moon Stone.

"Seriously?! This crap's only worth to evolve those faggoty Jigglypuffs and sissy Clefairies!" One of the grunts said.

Ego approached that grunt and sucker-punched him, making him kneel.

"Dude!" Someone shouted.

"It's shameful to be homophobic and misogynistic in this day and age" Ego stated.

"We're literally villains, but go on, I guess" Another grunt said. Ego stared at him. "W-we're going!"

Ego then pocketed the Moon Stone for himself.

Afterwards, he fought some children, stealing their Pokémon from them. Unlike Ronnie, he had found a way to steal Pokémon that wasn’t traumatizing for both the former owner and the Pokémon, so they wouldn’t think less of Ego. He had stolen a Zubat and a Nidoran.

He finally found, together with Ronnie, the Pewter scientist, who had two fossils.

“This is perfect!” Ronnie said. “I’ll go tell the boss! You stay here, keeping guard!”

Ego stood around, keeping guard… until a kid appeared. Ego stopped the kid on his tracks. Red cap, black hair, red eyes like crimson… the kid stared at him with vacant, empty eyes.

“Get out of my way” The kid said.

“No” Ego said, as he felt intimidated… but why?

Ego took out his Rattata, ready to battle that kid. He stared at him, and took out his own Pokémon… a Charmeleon.

Not even Poliwag, a Water-type, was able to do a thing against that monster of a Pokémon, that… weapon of war. Why the hell did a kid have that kind of Pokémon?! And the other five PokéBalls under his belt hid terrifying possibilities too. The kid walked past him.

“My name is Red. Nice to meet you” The kid said, like it was a rehearsed formula. “Goodbye”

Ego was left all alone, as he let Red took a fossil of his own.

He had failed.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Ronnie and Petrel arrived to find… no fossils, no anything.

“Are you kidding?!” Ronnie shouted. “Ego! The hell did you do?!”

“I-I…” Ego was still shocked from that quick and swift battle.

“H-hey, that kid didn’t give him a chance. And he didn’t give me a chance either!” The scientist stuttered. “He stole both fossils and just… walked off!”

“A kid?!” Petrel asked. “You! Ego, right?! You saw the kid, didn’t you?!”

“Y-yes” Ego said. “His name’s Red, he’s got a Charmeleon”

“Char-what?!” Petrel shouted, in disbelief. “You two… to the headquarters… NOW! The boss might want to hear your story”

Back at the headquarters, Ego went down to the fourth basement to meet the boss, Giovanni. His eyes glinted as they recognized each other.

“Yoshimura…! How’s your father?” Giovanni asked.

“Dead. Sickness and shame caught up to him” Ego said.

“I see… I’ve heard from Petrel what transpired at Mount Moon” Giovanni said. “That two kids wrecked the entire operation”

Ego stood silent.

“Now, Petrel’s the weakest of my sorry bunch of Rocket admins, and the mission bulk was on a group of newbie grunts, including you…” Giovanni said. “But it still boggles me how in the core of Giratina’s Arceus-forsaken hell a bunch of preteens managed to wreck all of you grown men and run away with the spoils! I mean, Ariana! A couple of kids! KIDS! How absurd is that?!”

“It is very absurd, Giovanni” Ariana pointed out, sycophantically.

Giovanni sighed.

“Now, having berated Petrel for his incompetence, he tells me that you, dear Ego, were the grunt standing guard for the fossils. He said that you fought the stronger of the two twerps, and that you might have fared better against him than the other grunts”

Ego nodded. He might have lasted a little longer in battle.

“I called you here to hear all the details you can tell about this kid. Every minutia you can think of, every thing you can think about!” Giovanni said. “I want this twerp so thoroughly profiled he won’t think of messing with us EVER again!”

Ego pointed out how there was this kid with a Wartortle who beat up some grunts… and then the other kid, Red, with a Charmeleon. Black hair, red eyes, reddish clothing, and a cold stare and polite, but very off speech.

“I see…” Giovanni said. He then muttered to himself: “Red…? What a ridiculous name. Charmeleon… and the other kid running around with a Wartortle… those are war weapons! Why would two kids have those kinds of Pokémon!? And officially licensed Trainers at that… Who could these parents’s kids be?”

Ego’s brain was trying to come up with an answer, when Giovanni looked at him.

“I have a bad feeling about these two kids, the Red kid specially. Keep an eye open if you ever encounter them during your operations, got it?”

“Yes” Ego nodded.

Then, a grunt entered the office.

“Boss, sir… Gym Leader Blaine is coming here to speak with you”

Giovanni didn’t bother to look at the grunt.

“Send him in” He said. He then looked at Ego. “Ego, you can stay”

Ego stood at a side as Blaine came into the room. He looked nervous somewhat. Ego remembered him from his childhood, he used to be his dad’s friend… him, Giovanni and some other people.

“You… probably have already guessed why I’m here, Giovanni” Blaine started. “And you’re not gonna like it”

Giovanni’s eye twitched. Ego noticed, even though it was unlikely that anyone else did.

“I have my suspicions” Giovanni said. “But I want to hear it from your own little chicken mouth all the same”

Blaine sighed, he looked… defeated.

“I can’t keep making more Porygons for you” He said. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t”

Ego knew that Porygon was an artificial Pokémon made out of code. The code was heavily protected by Silph S.A., but Team Rocket sold specimens which were crafted by illegal copies of the source code as prices for the Casino. Ego had a lot of coins, maybe enough to purchase a Porygon from there before they ran out, if this reunion had Blaine running away, that is.

Giovanni looked at Blaine with utter disgust.

“You’re a coward, Blaine” He said.

“Listen now!” Blaine jumped. “Fuji knows everything you’ve been doing at the Pokémon Tower, and he’s gone on a crazy fit over it! Just yesterday, he sent an angry email to all his old colleagues at the Pokémon Lab, warning them that, and I quote: ‘Team Rocket is up to no good! They’ve got spies all over, and they’re ruthless! Be on the lookout for any suspicious activity!’”

Blaine trembled as he spoke.

“You know as well as I do that the source code of Porygon is copyrighted by Silph S.A., if I’m caught making them in the Lab, I’m done for!” He said. “You know that I’ll always support your purpose… but I’m not gonna risk my position as Gym Leader for Team Rocket! I need to lay low for a while”

Giovanni’s eye twitched again as he seethed from the mouth.

“God damn you, Blaine… Do you even realize what a good source of revenue Porygon is as the most expensive prize on the Casino?! Players won’t want to gamble as much if they don’t get something as precious in return, you know?! Jeez… where am I supposed to get someone who can make Porygons now?! Huh?!” Giovanni shouted.

“I know you’re not keen on the idea, but maybe Professor Oak could…”

“DO NOT SUGGEST THAT! Not in jest, not seriously, not ever! I’m NOT asking that FUCKING COWARD FOR HELP!” Giovanni screeched, his face turning red all of a sudden.

Blaine went silent, his face pale.

“Alright. Forget it” He said. “My fault. I didn’t think you would be dwelling too deep in the past”

“You are a fool, Blaine” Giovanni said, calming down.

“You might want to talk with Bill about the subject, then” Blaine said. “And before you say anything, I know the kid is youthful, arrogant and disloyal, which is why he’s the right fit for the job. He doesn’t care about anything, so as long as you have the right price, you can make him work for you for as long as you can pay it”

“For Arceus’s sake, the rivers of hell have to be frozen, because I’m actually considering the idea” Giovanni said. “Go, Blaine. I don’t even WANT to look at you, you old bastard”

Blaine left.

“Ego!” Giovanni called his attention. “Come over here! I’ve got a work for you”

Ego went to stand in front of Giovanni.

“You’re going to Bill’s house, just north of Cerulean City. You’re going to offer him a job at Team Rocket as a temporary manufacturer of Porygon. If he says no, tell him we’ll give him an offer he can’t refuse. Tell him he can name any price… within reason. Another squad of grunts are headed at Cerulean on another mission as well. I suggest you go with them at the secret base just south of Celadon. The admin stationed there will give you some rare items you can use to bribe Bill. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir!” Ego shouted.

“Then go! I’m counting on you, Ego” Giovanni said.

Ego left the Base and, as he exited the Casino, he found Ronnie.

“Yo! If it isn’t Ego!” Ronnie shouted. “Come’ere!”

Ego went with Ronnie, who put an arm around his shoulders, friendly.

“I’ve got a mission in Celadon! With a squad of my own! Isn’t that cool?!”

“I’ve got a mission in Celadon too” Ego said. “To convince Bill to manufacture Porygons”

“Huh?! For real?! Man…!” Ronnie grinned. “We gotta steal from a guy in Celadon these crazy TMs! Isn’t that cool too?!”

“Yeah, I guess it’s cool” Ego said.

“I’m gonna be the baddest guy around, you’ll see!” Ronnie grinned. He then looked apologetic. “Look, I’m sorry for getting all worked up back at Mount Moon, when you lost the fossils. I asked around, and the kid was legit strong, he would’ve prolly kicked my ass too”

“No big deal” Ego said. “I didn’t even register you were mad at me, I was shocked”

“Shocked, eh?” Ronnie said. “Well, I gotta go with my team! Cerulean City is this way, you gotta go to Saffron, and from Saffron you go north. That simple! My time will come… and you’ll have front row tickets!”

“I hope so” Ego smiled gently.

“Buh-bye, dude!” Ronnie ran away.

Ego turned back to the Casino, ready to spend his family’s money in Coins, to gamble, have some forsaken luck, and buy a Porygon. Which he did. He did buy a Porygon. He gave this Porygon a nickname: Hacksan, in honour of a TV show he saw as a kid. He also used Coins to buy an Abra, which he did not nickname.

In the Pokémon Center, he used the PC to configure his team, so it would go this way: Porygon, Abra, Eevee, Spearow, Zubat and Poliwag. Training on his way to Saffron, Abra, Spearow and Zubat evolved into Kadabra, Fearow and Golbat… although Fearow still hated Ego’s guts. Ego just limited the use of Fearow as a transport medium, knowing him too fickle to be used in battle. Ego bribed the guard of the pathways between cities to let him through.

On Saffron, he clashed paths with a woman who dressed as a scientist and dropped all of her papers.

“Ah! Sorry!” The woman said, as she picked all of those up.

“No, my apologies” Ego, being courteous, helped her out. “You work at Silph S.A.?”

“Yes. I am one of the makers of Porygon, as weird as it might be” The woman said. “My name’s Himeko. I know it’s a weird name, but it’s has some family history”

“Himeko, eh? Nice to meet you” Ego smiled.

Himeko had brown hair and grey eyes. She smiled, fondly, at Ego.

“You’re a handsome man!” She said. “I hope we can meet again, I’m in field work, so if you’re travelling within the region, we might see each other”

She then left. Ego decided to continue onwards to his destination:

The Pokémon DayCare.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

“Welcome, young man!” An old man told a kid. “I’m the one running the DayCare! Do you want to leave your Pokémon with you?”

“Yeah!” The kid said. “Nidoran here needs to catch up!”

“Nido, nido!” The male Nidoran said.

“Well, then. Here at the Pokémon DayCare, your Pokémon will be well-taken care of, and they’ll level up! You can go by later to pick your Nidoran up, alright?”

“Yes, sir! See you, Nidoran!” The kid said, barely noticing Ego.

The old man did notice, as he smiled at Ego.

“Young man, do you want to have a Pokémon taken care of here?” He chuckled. “Of course not, I’m just kidding. Come quick, the secret entrance must be kept a secret, so make haste”

He opened a hatch at a corner of the DayCare, as he and Nidoran came down the hatch. Ego came down too, and he saw Atlas, the admin stationed there, examining the Nidoran.

“Another Nidoran?” Atlas asked.

“Hey now” The DayCare Owner said. “We got a Marowak here that needs some stud to mount her, right?”

“True. Let the grunts take care of it”

Nidoran was taken away, and the Owner came up the hatch. Ego then approached Atlas.

“The Yoshimura guy… Welcome to Cerulean, the city of flowing water or something. Just don’t feed the Pokémon, alright? Now, to business: They have what you need to bribe Bill with at the lab” Atlas said, to then sneer. “Having to ask Bill for help… that old bastard Fuji has really stirred something if he’s scared Blaine shitless”

He then spoke up.

“Bill’s house is at Route 25, just north from here. You have permission to use less gentle persuasion to make him cooperate” Atlas said.

Ego picked up the Parcel for Bill, and went up the Nugget Bridge. Due to a little bit of a confusion, Ego made the trial for the Nugget Bridge even though he was already a member. From the troubles, he got to steal a Caterpie, a Sandshrew and a Mankey. On the way through Route 25, he got to face other Trainers, stealing a Slowpoke, a male Nidoran and an Ekans, as Poliwag tired himself out and fainted. Finally, he reached Bill’s home.

“Are you Bill?” Ego asked as he came in.

“Yeah, why do you ask?”

“I’m from Team Rocket, and I want to offer you this” Ego said.

Bill received the Parcel and the note that it came with.

“An offer to work for you as a Porygon manufacturer?” He said, as he looked at Ego. “But poor ol’ me only managed to get the source code because of my good relationships with Silph! Whatever shall I do if this gets to light!”

“Cut the bullshit” Ego said, impacient. “We both know you don’t care about that stuff”

“Oh, unbelievably, Ego” Bill smiled. “And I’m more surprised you didn’t recognize me at first”

“I mean, I didn’t know that the little shit who went to school with me would hang out with the big guys while everyone else went to war” Ego said.

“Please, we both weren’t old enough to be conscript. We missed the fun for a year” Bill said, wistfully. “OK, I’ll work. But I have a series of conditions”

“Shoot” Ego said.

“I want your rarest Pokémon, at least one specimen each” Bill said. “I also want to work together with a partner of mine who is as scrupulous as I am about betraying Silph. And… a secret condition. You, dear Ego, you will be my mole within the Team. Every juicy secret you find, I want it reported through this”

“A phone?” Ego asked.

“Yep!” Bill grinned. “One of the last non-Rotom phones you’ll ever find, at least before Silph eventually makes a deal with that Paldean company and brings Rotom-Phones here. I’ll call and you’ll pick it up. Got it?”

“Got it” Ego said. “And who’s this partner you wanna call?”

“Wanna hang out to see?” Bill asked.

Ego waited, and he saw the woman that he met earlier at Saffron.

“Bill, I got your message!” Himeko said. “So we’re betraying Silph? And what is my reward?”

“Your reward, missy, is enough money to last you for life! You care about that stuff still, right?”

“Well, I do want a comfortable life” Himeko said. “So, Ego… you’ll be Bill’s mole? Bill loves his moles, he loves them so much that you would think he would have the face full of them!”

That wordplay was so bizarre that it made Ego laugh.

“I’ll tell the boss about the public conditions” Ego said.

“Don’t forget, you’re my mole!” Bill grinned. He then went serious. “You see, there is this Pokémon I’m very interested in”

The room grew colder, as Himeko’s smile faded.

“If you don’t mind me asking… what do you know about the Mewtwo project?” Bill asked,

The Mewtwo project. Something in that made Ego’s veins stirred. Like something hidden within his DNA… well, not hidden, but connected. Something so intrinsically connected to his DNA and his mind, his dreams for the last decade… But nothing specific. Ego couldn’t really answer that.

“Forget that. I guess that daddy dearest didn’t want to disturb his child’s mind. You can go along now, Ego”

Ego left the house, his heart uneasy.

But something huge was about to happen, the minute he would step into Cerulean.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

When he stepped back into the Nugget Bridge, he found a kid.

“Oh, my! What is this? More Rockets? I thought I got you all back at Mount Moon!” The kid said, arrogant.

“Mount Moon? You’re not Red…”

“Oh… so Red got you? Little dumbass managed to whip your ass, eh? Now have a piece of mine!” The kid said.

“I’m gonna give you five seconds to rephrase that, because that came out gross” Ego stated, deadpan.

“Don’t care, battle now!” The kid shouted. “The name’s Blue! It sorta rhymes with Doom! Because your demise is coming soon!”

“Wow. Did you read a rhyme book, Blue?” Ego asked.

“Shut up, I say! Go, Pidgey!” Blue said.

“Go, Fearow!” Ego sent out Fearow.

“Fear!” Fearow looked at Ego, angrily.

“Look at that wimpy Pidgey!” Ego shouted, smug. “What are you gonna do? Disobey me and get wiped by that wimp or listen to me and win?”

Fearow debated it for a second… and decided to listen.

“Good boy. Use Fury Attack!”

After a back and forth with Pidgey using Sand Attack to blind Fearow, he managed to beat up the Pidgey. Ego then returned Fearow to his PokéBall.

“Go, Eevee!” Ego said, sending Eevee out.

“Iibui!” Eevee shouted.

“Go, Rattata!” Blue shouted.

First Rattata, then Abra… Eevee performed mighty well. Then, Blue sent Wartortle out.

“Come, Eevee!” Ego sent Eevee in. “Go, Hacksan!”

“Pory, Pory!” Porygon said, happy to battle.

“Wartortle, use Leer!” Blue said.

Porygon’s Defense fell. Ego grinned.

“Hacksan, use… Psybeam!” Ego said.

“Warr!” Wartortle tanked it.

“Use Water Gun!” Blue ordered.

Hacksan tanked it.

“Use Psybeam once more and finish him off!” Ego ordered.

Porygon attacked, and Wartortle fainted.

“Huh?! I lost?!” Blue asked. “How?!”

“I… I trained” Ego said.

“Unbelievable!” Blue said.

“You know what? Yeah, unbelievable, it seems like the common denominator can’t train and we are outliers” Ego said.

Blue then weeped.

“You know? It’s not fair!” He said. “Do I have the wrong Pokémon? How can I lose to a Rocket? If I lose to a Rocket, I won’t be able to win against Red… DAMN IT!”

Ego felt somewhat sympathetic to the kid.

“Ugh! Smell you later, Mr Rocket!” Blue said, leaving to go to Bill’s house.

At the other side of the Bridge, he found Ronnie, who was grinning.

“Ego! How’s the mission going?” He asked.

“It’s going well” He said. “And yours?”

“Mine’s been great! We stole the TMs, the works! I even got some extra credit mugging a young woman, like a macho man!”

“A young… woman? Above your level?” Ego asked.

“She struggled a lot, but I managed to do it!” Ronnie said. “Am I a macho man or not?”

Ego smelled problems… he decided to tell him about the thing with Blue.

“Huh? You beat up one of the kids that gave us problems at Mount Moon?! Then it wasn’t an issue at all! Glad that’s solved! Let’s go back to the base!” Ronnie said.

They saw police gathering nearby a house.

“RUN!” Ronnie and Ego ran to the south of Cerulean. “What the fuck was that?! Police?! They… they were at the house we were robbing. They can’t have caught on on us, right?!”

“We gotta go to the base” Ego said.

As they returned, the owner of the DayCare looked at them incredulously.

“What have you Celadon dumbasses done?!” He asked.

“What do you mean?” Ronnie asked.

“Come down, quick!” The gentleman said.

“You guys! You’re not gonna believe this!” Ronnie told the members, along with Archer. “Ego and I barely avoided the police! They were at the house that we were assigned to rob!”

“What?!” Archer asked. “How did they catch on this quickly?”

“Boss!” One of the scientist said. “You gotta see this!”

They all gathered around the TV, which was live.

“We are here today at Cerulean City, where this house has been robbed. Many Dig TMs have been stolen in the premises. Now, what can you tell us about these events?”

“I was… out in Mount Moon, digging, and when I was coming back, I heard my daughter scream” The man said. “When I arrived… my house was like this, and a hole was Dug at the back!”

“You, lady, what can you tell us?” The interviewer asked.

“I was walking around with my dear Slowbro, when suddenly a guy in weird black pajamas with an R and green hair tried to mug me. I struggled, and I fooled him letting him mug an empty PokéBall! Such a relief! Had he stolen my dear Slowbro… I wouldn’t know what to do!”

Ego saw Ronnie clutch his hands in horror.

“We got information! These suspicious men acting around Cerulean and Celadon aren’t isolated cases, but members of the devious organization known as Team Rocket! Now we’re going to hear the words of the Elite Four leader, Lance!” The interviewer said.

The camera cut at the entrance of the Pokémon League, where Lance was doing his speech.

“Team Rocket is a terrible team of evil wrongdoers who mistreat Pokémon and ruin human lives! I, Lance, as leader of the Elite Four, I can’t let this go unpunished! From now on, being member of Team Rocket is decreed illegal. All policemen are going to be stationed around the Kanto region, ready to detain any evildoers. Still, if they give to the Police the Pokémon they stole, their bounties will be reduced, to show that they can reform as members of society. As Johtonians and Kantonians, we are all of the Indigo Nation. I’ll fight for all of you, as my name is Lance!”

After the speech finished, everyone panicked,

“They’re onto us!”

“No, no, It can’t be!”

“Is it too late to leave?!”

“I should’ve worked at the PokéMart at Viridan!”

Atlas sneered.

“Lance’s only talk. He’s not that good of a person. Also, there’s no non-corrupt policeman in the whole region of Kanto” He said. “Alright, you jackasses. Fess up. Who the hell caused this?! Who the hell robbed a girl above their level and fucked up our operations?!”

“He did!” A grunt pointed at Ronnie. “Him! Ronnie! We wanted to leave, but he stood behind to mug that young woman!”

“I… I’m sorry, I…!” Ronnie said.

“Well, if it isn’t the dynamite duo, Ronnie and Ego,” Atlas said. “Ego screwed the pooch back in Mount Moon, but your failure is a LOT more grave than that, Ronnie. Ego, I swear to God, I hope that you have better news”

Ego told Atlas a censored version of what transpired at Bill’s house. Atlas sighed.

“Better than nothing, I suppose. Saving our Porygon supply and getting Bill to work with us is a good thing, but Ronnie’s spoiled my mood” Atlas said. “Alright, I have a mission for you, Ego. One that I hope that isn’t screwed up by ANY outside factors. Lieutenant Surge has bought us a supply of steroids, and you will deliver them to him at Vermillion. Then, you’ll work together with Admin Proton picking up some contraband Pokémon from the S.S. Anne. Don’t worry about the ticket, your free entry is Surge’s payment for today’s shipment of steroids”

Vermillion. Ego had bad memories of the place. He had spent his childhood there before moving to Saffron after the war. He nodded.

“Surge’s a Team Rocket sympathizer?”

“Surge’s a war veteran, of course he sympathizes with us” Atlas said. “Now, you’ll pick up his steroids at the lab. Please, keep up the good streak and don’t screw this up, I don’t want my mood, and the Boss’s, to worsen”

“I won’t disappoint” Ego promised.

He went to the lab.

“It tooks us ages to get it as strong, but here you go” The scientist told him.

Ego held the steroids.

“Question” Ego said. “Why the hell doesn’t Surge just distort space and time to train in dilated time using a Psychic-type?”

“Surge’s really proud and stupid” The scientist hand-waved it. “He wouldn’t let himself be caught using anything but Electric-types”

“He would rather use steroids than train a Kadabra to bend space and time to let him train in time dilation?” Ego asked, incredulous.

“Steroids are easier and more convenient to us! Don’t screw us out of our best client with that weird logic!” The scientist said.

Ego complied. Outside the base, on the DayCare, he used the PC to switch his Golbat to his male Nidoran, which he trained on the outskirts of Celadon until he evolved into a Nidorino. Then, using the Moon Stone he acquired at Mount Moon, he evolved Nidorino into Nidoking. As they trained, Poliwag also evolved into Poliwhirl. Ego had a King’s Rock somewhere back at his home, he made a mental note to acquire it whenever he had time to do that.

He taught Nidoking the Move Dig, he taught Porygon the Move Hyper-Beam and he trained up Kadabra and the others. He decided to keep Eevee unevolved, as he hoped he would get to steal more Pokémon to get a better team… after he found a Pokémon capable of Flying who wasn’t the Fearow that hated him.

He heard that in Saffron there was this girl called Copycat. He challenged her to a Pokémon Battle, in which she copied Ego’s stern demeanor.

“Stop mucking around and fight!” Copycat said.

“That’s my line!” Both Ego and Copycat said. “Ugh! Let us battle!”

Ego defeated Copycat.

“I don’t take pleasure on winning…” Copycat copied Ego’s speech. “But I will steal your Pokémon”

He stole a Pikachu from her.

“An electric type…” Ego said. “It might be useful. And stop copying me!”

“It’s my favourite hobby” Copycat said.

Between Saffron and Vermillion, Ego managed to steal a Spearow with the very same technique that let him rob Pokémon without traumatizing them nor their Trainers, so he could get rid of the pesky Fearow who hated him.

In Vermillion, he switched off Fearow for Spearow, and he began to talk with the populace. In general, they hated him for being a Rocket, and the ones who did not hate him in principle did not express hatred for Johtonians. Ego’s impression was that Giovanni and the admins dwelled too much into the past.

At the home of the Fishing Guru, he asked Ego for a favour: Go to his siblings’s homes and get their fishing secrets, so he could get better at fishing.

When he finally arrived to the Vermillion Gym, he reunited with Proton, and they saw some kids fawning over Surge.

“How can we be as strong as you, Mr Surge!”

“Well, kids! You gotta exercise a lot and eat all your greens! Spinach helps build muscle!” Surge said.

The kids ran off, happily, as Ego and Proton approached him.

“You got the stuff?” Surge asked. Ego gave it to him. “Yeah… as strong as it can be. I want to be the strongest dude around!”

“Why don’t you just dilate time and train the old fashioned way?” Ego asked.

“You’ll find me dead before I train a Kadabra, kid” Surge said. “I’ll make the word spread that you’re allowed to go into S.S. Anne. Don’t go screwing things up”

Proton looked at Ego.

“Come on, grunt!” Proton said.

Ego nodded.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

On S.S. Anne, Ego spent his time battling other people, managing to let Kadabra accumulate enough energy to evolve into Alakazam. He managed to steal a couple of Pokémon, although he kept Spearow concealed, as she wasn’t ready to battle yet.

Surprisingly, during these battles within the ship, Hacksan evolved into Porygon-2! It surprised Ego so much, as he was sure that Porygons didn’t have the Upgrade built-in. Well, Hacksan was a jack in the box - full of surprises!

Ego managed to sneak past the guards to go to the ship’s VIP section, where he saw Lance and Steven Stones talking.

“So, Lance… what a peculiar region Kanto is, right?” Steven asked.

“Yes. So industrialized… yet it has potential for growth. We have plans to demolish the Pokémon Tower to build a private Radio Tower” Lance said. “We can dump all of the bodies in a cemetery, all together”

“That’s morbid” Steven said. “Aren’t you worried about public opinion? After all, you’re from Johto”

“Puh-lease. The only people who reject me have to work alongside Team Rocket, so you know how’s their credibility, right?” Lance said.

“I am still surprised about so many idiosyncrasies of Kanto… like the Pokémon Professor being a non-battler” Steven said.

“It was a condition for his rendition. The coward accepted it. Hah! Kanto’s full of losers” Lance laughed, to Ego’s irritation. “People are coexisting, and I know I’m always saying that we are the same nation… but Kanto people are inferior”

“And what about Mewtwo and the Legendary Birds?”

“Oof, don’t speak about those. A huge brainwrecker without the Team Rocket grunts causing mayhem” Lance said.

“I need to go to the restroom, if I may” Steven left, leaving his cup on Ego’s hands, confusing him for a waiter.

Ego left, dumbfounded. He left the cup on a waiter’s hands, and went to the Captain’s room, where the shipment of foreign Pokémon was stored. The Captain reacted angrily at the smuggling, openly challenging Ego. When Ego won and stole his Scyther, he wasn’t done. He was about to scream for help, but then…

“Koffing! Use Poison Gas!” Proton said.

Koffing attacked the Captain and made him vomit uncontrollably. Heh. Ego and Proton carried away the Pokémon, as Ego could’ve sworn that he saw Blue and Red around the freaking ship.

“It’s a relief we got out of here. All that high-standing and high-society shit was making me more sicker than the sea. Speaking of meaningless things… look at that” Proton pointed out a truck. “That’s a truck, a stupid truck in the middle of nowhere”

Ego had a sixth sense for weird things, and he could notice that nothing about that truck was ordinary. Yet, he would have to find out once he had the ability to Surf through the seas.

“Head back to Celadon” Proton said, as he left.

Ego decided to train up Spearow until she evolved into Fearow, and he taught her Fly in order to Fly back to Celadon.

As he arrived back to Celadon, he received a phone call from Bill.

“Hey, Ego. It’s me. Haven’t heard of you from a while” Bill said. “No major Rocket news? No scoop from Silph? No? Nada?”

“What do you want?” Ego said, serious.

“I wanted to call you for two things. First, I passed on one of your gifts you gave me before. Just a little while ago, a hotshot Trainer passed by and did a huge favour. The kid’s speech was off and I’m sure he’s autistic, but he was more intense and focused than any other Trainer I’ve seen” Bill said.

Ego remembered Red. Fuck, so Red had something that Ego had given Bill?

“Eleven years old, and he already had two badges! Anyways, I gave him my ticket to S.S. Anne” Bill said.

So that was why he saw Red!

“And the second thing?” Ego asked.

“Himeko wants to ask you out” Bill said.

“Tell her to ask me out herself” Ego said.

“OK, bye!” Bill grinned.

Ego hang up. He sighed.

“At least I might get a date out of this” He snarked to himself.

But he didn’t want a date. He wanted answers for the questions that burned his mind and for the dreams that occupied his nights.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Trainining his Pokémon around Celadon before going back to business, Ego had decided how to finally evolve his Eevee. After using the King’s Rock to evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed, he decided to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, as it was one of the best Eeveelutions. Using the Water Stone, he managed to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, and he boxed Poliwhirl in order to get one of the Pokémon he stole at S.S. Anne: Scyther, which he put a Metal Coat on to evolve into Scizor. He trained her, along with his team, to get a lot stronger.

As he arrived at the headquarters afterwards, Ego went to his Boss’s office.

“If it isn’t Ego! Come here, please” Giovanni said.

Ego approached him, serious.

“I heard you did well in Cerulean and Vermillion” Giovanni said. “Well done. If you keep up the good work, we might have no other choice but to promote you before long”

Promotion? Even counting his time training and travelling around the region, it had been barely a week since he started. A promotion so fast… he had never heard anything like that.

“This guy, Red” Ego informed Giovanni. “He’s beaten two Gyms already”

“Huh” Giovanni said. “Is that so? We should keep informed, but we can’t tail him all day long. Besides, I’ve heard you’ve beaten the other kid of Mount Moon already, so… it mustn’t be an issue anymore, isn’t that right, Ariana?”

“If you say so” Ariana said, deadpan.

“Anyways, there’s a more urgent matter: At Lavender Town, Fuji, a former scientist of Kanto, has gone mad. He’s locked himself on the Pokémon Tower and he has kicked out all grunts stationed there, and he’s cut off our supply of Cubone and Marowak skulls at a time where our place in the black market is dicey. That’s where you come in. You will go fight Fuji and incapacitate him for good. Usually, I would ask an admin to do this, but everyone’s busy on their own missions, so you’ll have to do” Giovanni said. “It’s a prime opportunity to prove your worth, so don’t waste it”

“Got it” Ego nodded.

If he got promoted, he would be able to get some answers about the questions that burnt his mind all night long…!

“Lavender Town is east from here. Through Saffron or the Underground. The Underground is full of prostitution and pimps, so I don’t advise you to go there if you’re not looking for unnecessary trouble” Giovanni said. You could make a movie out of all the trouble that Ego wanted to involve himself in. “By the way, carry this if you don’t want to be scared by ghosts”

He gave him a Silph Scope.

“We have a few of these, acquired thanks to our spies in Silph. Take care of it, got it?!” Giovanni asked.

“Yes, sir!” Ego said.

“Good boy” Giovanni smirked.

Ego left. Lavender was a big journey, at least four days of travel, two if he took the Underground path, which meant that… he could loaf around a little bit and train up his team a bit more to get stronger.

“Hey there!” A female voice said.

Ego turned around. It was Himeko!

“Wanna have a date?” Himeko asked.

“A date…?” Ego asked. “I’m in the middle of moving for a mission”

“You’re loafing around training your Pokémon!” Himeko pointed out. “Any reason why would you do that?”

Ego frowned.

“I need to become stronger, to be able to beat that kid, Red” He said.

“We can go together wherever you need to go” Himeko smiled.

Ego nodded. That was a good choice.

They talked about inconsequential things, like Porygon evolving into Porygon2. Himeko proudly credited herself as the girl who offered the idea of having built-in Upgrades for Porygons at the Casino.

“You’re really all around, eh?” Ego said, surprised. “A mole for Bill, involved with Blaine’s activities…”

“A girl like me needs all the connections she can. That way, if she gets betrayed by someone, she can rely on somebody else for help” Himeko said.

“What kind of woman would need that?” Ego asked.

“The kind of woman who was born in Johto” Himeko simply said. Ego stared at her. “It’s… complicated. Professor Elm is… my best friend. I promised him I would help him on whatever he wanted, and he asked me to be his eyes in Kanto”

“So… it’s Professor Elm where your loyalties lie deep down?” Ego asked.

“No. If it was, I wouldn’t have told you” Himeko confessed. “I don’t know who I’m truly loyal to. I just know you won’t betray me”

“How do you know that?” Ego asked.

Himeko looked at him, smiling.

“It’s in your nature” She said.

Ego didn’t discuss that. He wasn’t willing to disclose Himeko’s confidence about being Elm’s mole in the Kanto region. It could be useful to have her as a mole in the Johto region… That’s when Ego realized that he was scheming on his own. Beforehand, he simply agreed to be people’s pawns. Giovanni’s, Bill’s… It didn’t occur to him until that moment that he could also be a player in that game.

On the Underground path, some women tried to proposition him. Ego rejected them, as they saw some dudes getting in line. Himeko’s face crunched, but luckily, it wasn’t that kind of line. The pimp was trying to reassure them that it was all fine, but when he saw Ego, he called at him.

“You! Rocket!” The pimp said. “It’s my best girl, Sanria, the one from Hoenn! She’s at the Vertical Underground Path with some punk as her pimp! Get her HERE and I’ll give you a reward”

“I’ll think about it” Ego said, as he went away.

“They all want that girl, Sanria, because she’s from Hoenn. Disgusting” Himeko said.

“Yes, it is disgusting” Ego confirmed

Two days of being at the Underground path and camping around it, they arrived at the other end. They went through Route 8, as Ego was challenged to some battles. He managed to steal a Voltorb, a Jigglypuff and a Vulpix.

Finally, they arrived to Lavender Town. Himeko got the creeps.

“Well, the date's over!” She said. “I hope you have a good run here at the Pokémon Tower!”

She quickly left on her own Pokémon, a Skarmory. Yep, a Johto woman. Ego wasn’t surprised to see her with a Skarmory. Well, a cute date, nonetheless.

He decided to prepare himself… to face the challenges ahead at the Pokémon Tower

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

It was something in the air, or maybe the hateful stares of everyone around him, but Ego was a hated man. In no uncertain terms, he was told that it was because of the R on his chest.

“If I was leader of Team Rocket, the commerce with Cubone skulls would simply stop” Ego muttered to himself.

He decided to climb up the Pokémon Tower… as he was stopped by Blue.

“You…!” Blue said. “You’re that Rocket guy from back at the Bridge”

The kid looked like he had been crying. Ego looked at him.

“You okay?” He asked.

“I’m here… to visit my Ratticate” Blue said. “Red killed him at the S.S. Anne. He used too much strength, Ratticate was bleeding real bad, and there wasn’t any Pokémon Center on the S.S. Anne, so when I finally found a Nurse… it was too late”

He wept.

“I told my grandpa. You know, the famous Professor Oak? And he told me to catch a better Ratticate! But I don’t want a better Ratticate!” He cried out. “I want my Ratticate!”

Ego put a hand on his shoulder, trying to be supportive.

“Ever since we were kids, grandpa always favoured Red, and he wasn’t even his grandkid, I was! He even let him choose first, I chose Squirtle just to spite him, but… I really love my Wartortle, you know?” Blue said. Ego nodded. “Red’s always been quiet, and I know that he didn’t want to kill Ratticate, but he’s still a jerk because of that!”

Blue then stepped back.

“I will become the Pokémon Champion. I’ll earn the Badges I have left, I will beat the Elite Four’s asses, and I will reign supreme! THAT WAY, NO ONE WILL EVER LOOK AT RED LIKE HE WAS BETTER THAN ME!!!!!!!”

Blue’s shriek startled Ego, who didn’t make a sound. Then, the kid’s face calmed down.

“Thanks, Mr Rocket. You’re a good listener” Blue said.

“I’m very sorry for your loss” Ego said. “I know it’s not enough, but… it’s everything I can say”

“For a Rocket, you’re a good man” Blue said, surprised.

“GET… OUT!” A ghostly voice shouted, scaring Blue. “GET OUT!”

Ego faced the ghost, using the Silph Scope. It was a dead Marowak, murdered by his team. He defeated her, but wasn’t able to tame the spirit. The R on his chest was the brand of those that Marowak hated, and she wouldn’t be tamed by a Rocket. Ego raised to the top of the tower, as he fought some Trainers, stealing some of their Pokémon to himself… and then he achieved his mission: Finding Fuji.

“A Rocket…?!” He shouted. “Hah! HAHAHAH! Giovanni has sent you here?! What? Are you gonna behead me and have my head on his office?! Are you gonna make a mug out of my skull?! LIKE THOSE RICH ASSHOLES DO TO THOSE POOR MAROWAKS AND CUBONES…!!!”

“I don’t agree with that practice” Ego said, softly. “I just want to search for answers”

“You… Ego?!” Fuji shouted. “So Yoshimura-san’s child… grrr…! That’s ENOUGH! I WILL BEAT YOU, LIKE I BEAT EVERYONE BEFORE YOU!”

Fuji’s team was powerful, but so was Ego’s. The battle was finished, and Ego decided to steal Fuji’s Ditto.

“You scoundrel! Not only you come here to make me let you pursue your misdeeds for profit and murder the Pokémon under my wing, but you snatch MY OWN POKÉMON!?” He asked.

“I need power” Ego said. “To have my answers given”

“Power…! Everyone needs power! You Rockets… you band together… for what? Profit?! Power?! Is that really worth the cost of the depravity you do?!” Fuji shouted.

“I just follow orders” Ego said. “You don’t get it, I’ve had these dreams, these nightmares… I want to know why”

“Dreams…?! You do… everything you do… for some psychoanalysis?!” Fuji shouted. “I’ve been working on the Mewtwo Project for ages, along with your father, with Giovanni and some others. You don’t want answers to that, kid, because… the things we’ve done… it was maddening. You don’t want to know. No one wants to know”

Then, Fuji’s words made Ego’s blood burn, like the dreams he had had.

“When I laid eyes on that thing… the… “Catastrophe”...” He said. “I knew we didn’t stand a chance. I knew that everything was over”

“That’s enough” Atlas said, as he arrived. “You’re gonna stay here for a while, Fuji. You coward… you accepted the stipendium from the Johto Champion… you betrayed your nation! You gave confidencial war secrets, in exchange for a house in the boonies, just to be pardoned and be left alone. Oak might have given our nation up, but you are second worst”

“Kanto is not a single nation anymore, damned you!” Fuji shouted. “It’s the Indigo Nation now!”

“That… neither the boss nor I can accept” Atlas said.

“So, for that, you kill Cubones for their heads? You steal Pokémon and make profits out of them?! You gang up on innocent people to rob them blind?!” Fuji shouted.

“It is necessary” Atlas said. “Ego, go report to the boss”

“Fuji” Ego said. “Lance is making deals to tear apart this Tower and let a Johtonian company set a radio tower in its place. We are bad people, a mafia… but we are at least upfront about our evilness, unlike Lance. You might think you’re fighting for the lesser evil, but all you’re doing is fight for the hypocrites that will throw you like trash once you stop being useful”

Ego and Blue left to the base of the tower.

“You aren’t all bad, aren’t you? You’re fighting for Kanto’s freedom…” Blue said. “When I’m Champion, I’ll be a good one! I’ll fight for justice, and goodness, and separate Kanto from Johto! How’s that sound?”

“It sounds great” Ego smiled, gentle. “Can’t wait to see you win”

“You bet!” Blue grinned. He then frowned. “I’m gonna stay here for a bit. With Ratticate. See you, Mr Rocket”

Ego left the Tower… as he stumbled across Professor Oak, who smiled, gentle.

“Ah, Ego! How nice seeing you here!” He said, a gentle grandpa’s visage. “I’m here to check on Fuji… how is he? Is he good?”

“I-I…” Ego stumbled across his words. His blood was burning, his cells were all singing a song of impending doom, something stirred across his brain, some empty void he just realized was there.

Then Oak realized.

“That uniform of yours…” His visage changed. More cold. “You know? You shouldn’t play the wrong favourites… your dad far preferred my company rather than Giovanni’s, you know? You should change sides while you’re ahead”

Dread didn’t let Ego answer. Oak confused his stunned silence with refusal.

“Oh well. Can’t say I tried. Good day” And he left.

When Ego returned using Fly to Celadon, he saw Red exiting the Casino. Dread, a different kind, one born from trauma, made its way through Ego’s bones. They crossed paths. Red frowned.

“Step aside or fight” He said.

Ego stepped aside, letting him out. He looked worned out, like he had been through many battles in that moment. He then feared for his boss.

He ran to the Casino, to find everyone… EVERYONE… beaten up by the kid. Everyone was so puzzled… how was an eleven year old kid so strong?! Ego then feared for Blue’s dreams. And for his answers… how would he get answers if Red had dealt a devastating blow to Team Rocket?! But changing sides to Oak’s was… unthinkable, it just was. The dread he felt upon seeing the kid who beat him up so easily was one thing, but his cells all chanted in unison to NOT trust Oak.

He went to his boss’s office, ready to report.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Giovanni was pacing around the office as Ego came into it.

"Ariana, it's...!" He was fuming. "Positively the worst humiliation we have ever gone through"

He paced around, thinking.

"If Lance and the Elite Four had stormed in here and busted us out, I would have been furious... if some petty small-time gang decided to marshall all its resources for a succesful strike against us, I would have taken it as a slight upon my honor... But this, Ariana! What the devil could have prepared me for this? A child! I mean... what in Arceus's name am I to make of this?!" Giovanni screamed, frustrated. "The most prestigious, most notorious organization in all of Kanto... brought to its knees at the hands of some preadolescent twerp! I am disgusted, revulshed... ashamed at our incompetence"

He looked at Ariana, eyes guilty, he hadn't noticed Ego.

"I've been naive... underestimated the kid... and look at him now! Four Badges, and fully evolved Pokémon at his command! Who knows?! Before we know it, he'll have earned the right to challenge Viridan Gym, and will demand that its Leader show up and accept his challenge..." He paced around, trying to calm down. "No, let's not get ahead of ourselves. But if it happens..., be ready for what's to come, Ariana"

Ariana nodded.

"You know I'm always prepared for every eventuality, Giovanni. There are those of us you can count on to stand by your side until the end and beyond... if need be" She said. "Which, à propos... it would seem as if your favourite little grunt has graced us with his presence"

Giovanni then noticed Ego.

"Ego! So you've returned..." He said, glad to see him. "I'll be frank and tell you that Fuji's antics are the least of my worries right now, but let's hear your report. Quickly, you hear?"

Ego told them what happened ever since he stepped foot into Lavender, including Blue's account about Red. Giovanni was thinking to himself.

"A Pallet Town native, eh?" He whispered to himself. "And licensed for Pokémon training by the chief traitor himself... Well, that explains how the kid got ahold of that freak of a Charizard, at least"

He then talked outloud.

"So Oak was looking for Fuji, eh? And told you to switch sides while you were ahead?" Giovanni said.

"Yes" Ego said. "But I want my questions answered. Why do my cells burn with fear when Oak is around? What's Project Mewtwo?! What were Bill, Blaine, Oak, Fuji, you and my father involved into?!"

Giovanni sighed.

"Well, I feel like you, as your father's heir, deserve to have your questions answered. Sit down, Ariana and you. I'll take a while"

Eleven years ago, Kanto's war efforts were going badly. It was clear that, by force alone, victory against Johto was but a mirage. But they had something that Lance and the Johto militia did not. Something that they knew was key to victory.

Knowledge. The brightest scientists in all of Kanto. Ever since the war began, Oak had been leading a number of secret initiatives to capture and harness the power of one Pokémon. One some rare most people thought it just a legend.

But legends don't win wars. Oak knew better. Once word got back that Dr Fuji had caught hold of Mew, they knew that there was no chance the public could know. Not even the family of those involved in the project, which is why 16 year old Ego was excluded.

"B-but... it all happened 10 years ago, when I was 17" Ego said.

"No, it happened eleven years ago, you were 16" Giovanni said. Ego felt disturbed, he had slight evidence that his memories of the events had been directly tampered with.

Returning to the story... Mew couldn't be brandished like artillery on the battlefield the way Lance used his Johto beasts. And Oak did not expect that to be likely. By far the strongest Pokémon of them all, but contained in a benevolent and softhearted soul and mind. It wouldn't fight a Magikarp for sport, let alone ravage a crowd of enemy Pokémon in the field!

So Oak decided on another solution. To harness Mew's power, they would create it from a genetic clone, conditioned from birth to be devoid of empathy and to possess an innate urge for battle. They should've known how fool the idea was. They called it... the Mewtwo Project.

At the time, Giovanni and Aced Yoshimura were the richest men in Kanto, and devout members of Oak's Elite Four. Giovanni wanted to do everything he could for Kanto, Aced wanted too. So they funded the project.

An impressive team was assembled.

Blaine, Fuji and Shigeki were no-brainer picks, specially Shigeki, Kanto's authority on genetic engineering. Bill was Ego's childhood friend, a genius like no other with no lack of ambition. He was pulled into the project, despite being of non-combatant age.

Everyone was ready to work day and night for months, just for a chance to save Kanto! But... the project proved much more difficult than expected. Most test cases came out as formless, dimwitted pieces of flesh that did not resemble Mew in any way. Due to their ability, inherited from Mew, to replicate the form and abilities of other Pokémon, such failures were christened as Ditto, a word that had mimicry connotations.

One of those early failures was... particularly nasty. Though as erratic and shapeless as the ones which donned the Ditto name, this newborn creature had inherited Mew's strength. It broke free from its test tube and escaped the lab, killing several of the earlier Dittos in its wake. This incident was known as the Catastrophe. It scared everyone, including Giovanni. Giovanni began to lose faith in his investment, and both Aced and Oak presumably started to feel the same way.

Luckily, Dr Fuji gave new hope to the project. Fuji suggested a way to contain Mew's unabashed power within a solid, sentient body. By creating a clone that would combine Mew's DNA with that of a human. Investigators and backers donated their DNA to the cause, including Ego's father.

"So... I'm Mewtwo's genetic sibling?!" Ego shouted.

"In a way... yes. Keep listening, it goes worse" Giovanni said.

Oak was the only one who refused to provide a DNA sample. His skepticism for the project had by now risen to a peak. Ironically, however, Fuji's theory proved correct. Sooner than anyone could anticipate, the team had produced their definite Mewtwo.

A human-like, inmensely powerful psychic Pokémon... possessing the requisite cold, blood-thirsty mund and sapient intelligence. But it couldn't be prepared for the field. Devoid of empathy but disturbingly intelligent, Mewtwo found no reason to fight for Kanto's cause. Why the war did not appeal to Mewtwo, they couldn't quite say... but it refused to be used as a military weapon. When they insisted... It rebelled. It took apart the armor, attacked everyone on sight, ruined the lab they were working on and left the premises. 

Driven, they believed, by a desire to find worthy Pokémon opponents, it sought refuge in the depths of a notoriously dangerous cave outside Cerulean City. It still hides there to the current day, or so Giovanni believed. No capture expedition done by anyone, not goverment, not Team Rocket nor any other party, has been succesful.

Soon after Mewtwo's escape, it was all over. Oak announced his surrender to the Johto League. They had done their best to destroy all evidence of the Mewtwo Project, but there was no hiding the team's involvement in some kind of military research.

Fuji was the first to throw in the towel. The old coot openly pledged his allegiance to Lance, accepting any terms they gave him. Blaine, Bill and Aced were more reluctant, but they eventually followed suit. Now, as to Shigeki... Nobody knows. The old guy went missing as the war came to an end. And Giovanni? Lance stripped him from his Elite Four position, Oak left him to fend for himself, worsening the betrayal.

Giovanni had sacrificed everything for Kanto, and he would continue to do so. He vowed in that moment that if Lance could not be taken down through legitimate means... he would cripple him from the inside. Formed Team Rocket, took control over smaller gang groups, used his connections to rich bastards around the world to set his commerce. Nothing that Ego wouldn't have been able to do, had their positions been reversed.

"So, you know everything I know, Ego" Giovanni said.

"That... answers nothing!" Ego outbursted. "That's a non-answer! You just told me I was kept apart from the project, then... why am I still involved in the aftermath?! Why is my body, my blood, my mind... weird?! What did you do to me?!"

"Nothing that I know of, Ego" Giovanni said. "Your father might have been able to answer that"

"He died" Ego said. "I'm too deep now. Oak is wrong, I can't quit while I'm ahead because I'm not ahead. I will remain here, I will do as you say, Boss. But I'm looking for my answers"

Giovanni nodded.

"Ariana, darling. I need you to leave for Viridian. We have no time to waste. With this Red twerp running around, we can't leave the Gym unattended" He said. "You will guard it in my absence"

Ariana was stunned.

"If that's what you want, Giovanni. But... He won't luke it. Our... our boy" She said.

Giovanni scoffed.

"Nonsense. My son will come with you to Viridian if need be. It will do him good" He said.

Ariana looked at him, wistful.

"Very well, Giovanni. I'll be on my way"

She left. Ego stood there. Giovanni sighed.

"Listen, Ego. Oak must despise everyone who worked on the Mewtwo Project. If all of a sudden he has business with Fuji after all these years... it can't be good news. I can't imagine he still believes he can find some way to get at Mewtwo after all these years" Giovanni said. "But, if he did, we must know. That's why, Ego, I want you to go to Pallet Town yourself. Confront Oak in his lab and get to the bottom of what he's up to. If that means resorting to force, so be it. The old guy is banned from Pokémon battle, so he's not likely to put up much of a fight anyway"

Ego felt uncomfortable at beating up a defenseless old man, but... maybe his cells would stop singing if he did. He nodded.

"Yes, boss" He said.

Giovanni looked away.

"While you're on your way... Do see if you can gather information about this Red kid or his family from the locals. Any key information, any weakness of his we can exploit, it would be of great help" Giovanni said. "All clear, Ego?"

Ego nodded.

"Very good" He then thought about something. "Just... one thing before you go"

He gave him a new uniform.

"You've been promoted" He said. "I'll say it was about time, Ego. You've earned my trust. You were here because you looked for answers, you found none, but you remain here. That's encommendable. With this rank, you'll have no trouble stealing Pokémon from teenagers or women. You'll also be obliged to carry one of these"

He gave him a Pager.

"This device will beep whenever I want one or all my Admins to report back to HQ. Whenever it goes off, I expect you to be making your way here as soon as you possibly can" He said. "That is all. You've shown a lot of promise, Ego. That's why I'm choosing to invest in you like this. Your failure at Mount Moon feels so very much away already, you've achieved so much. Do not let it go to waste. Understood? Now off with you, Admin! No time to waste!"

"Yes, Boss!" Ego nodded.

But oh, he would waste time. He knew that the kid Red had been travelling around. He would go around the region to ask about the kid.

He exited the office, ready to take on anything.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

As Ego went through the base, he found Ronnie.

“Hey, Ego! Yo!” He ran towards him. “What’s with the new get-up?!”

“I got promoted” Ego said.

“Man, really?! That’s good and all… but where’s mine?! I have been just as bad and macho as you’ve been!” Ronnie said, happily. “Nah, doesn’t matter. Where are you going?”

“Pallet Town” Ego said.

“Pallet Town?! Well, now that you’re Admin, you need some goons with you! Let me go, me and Ratticate will be hella useful!” Ronnie said.

“I…” Ego tried to refuse.

“Perfect! Buh-bye! See you in Pallet Town!” Ronnie left.

As Ego exited the Casino, he received a call on Bill’s phone.

“Hello there, Ego. It’s been a while” He said. “Fill me in the latest Rocket news, if you might”

Ego told him.

“Oh, now! Little autistic kid has knocked you all senseless?” Bill asked.

“Bill, you know I’m autistic” Ego said. “Stop saying the word like it was a slur”

Bill ignored him.

“Hahahahah! Sorry for laughing, I just find it so humorous! A kid!”

“Giovanni told me about Project Mewtwo” Ego said.

“Really, now? How does it feel to be late to the party?” Bill asked, merry.

“Cut the bullshit” Ego said.

“No, don’t worry. That just means we’re on the same page” Bill said. “He told you about the Catastrophe as well, right? And that Mewtwo locked themself away on Cerulean Cave”

“Yes”

“I wonder, though… what happened to Mew after the war ended?” Bill asked.

“Giovanni said nothing” Ego said.

“Really? Oh, well. Keep up the good work, Ego. We are both very good friends” Bill said. “I’ll talk to you later”

He went on his merry way. He had been asked by the man in the horizontal Underground path to check on the Hoenn girl on the vertical path, so he decided to do that first. He went from Celadon to Saffron, and to Saffron to Cerulean, to then access the vertical path. He found the girl and his pimp after seeing how worse off the girls at the vertical path were.

“Look, pal” He said when Ego asked. “Don’t try to make yourself involved with matters that do not concern you. Lady came out of her own free will, got that? I’m helping on getting her life back together…”

“Don’t give me that bullshit” Ego said. “Your girls are worse off than the girls at the horizontal path”

“Tell you what… I’ll give you five grand and we leave this at that” The pimp said. “What do you say?”

“You can’t buy me like one of your girls” Ego said, preparing the PokéBall.

“You messed with the wrong guy, pal!” The pimp shouted.

He was then promptly defeated by Ego’s Porygon2.

“You WILL regret this, pal!” He shouted, as he ran away.

“Oh, no! How could he leave me like this?!” The Hoenn girl cried out loud. “I thought he was going to really help me… Oh, who am I fooling?! What do I do now?! I’ll… I’ll have to go to the old man… Lesser of two evils, right?”

“I… it doesn’t have to be that way” Ego said.

“Then what way? I have nothing! I was an orphan back at Hoenn, and here on Kanto I have it even worse! You can’t help me” The girl said, as she exited the Underground Path.

Returning to Sapphron to check on the horizontal Underground Path, he decided to visit the old Fighting gym. The leader asked him to intimidate Mr Psychic into stop giving the Psychic TM in exchange of them letting him choose a Pokémon of theirs. He had nothing better to do. He dropped Nidoking and Scizor on the PC, picking up the Copycat’s Pikachu on his way to Mr Psychic’s house. He intimidated him successfully, and chose Hitmonlee as his gift from the Karate Master.

After having his reward from the old pimp (An Amulet Coin), Ego flew to Vermillion. He then thought about something: The truck. The damned truck right outside the dock. He needed the Surf HM to reach the damned dock. He would only be able to get it on Fucshia City. He would only be able to get there with a bike.

Going to Cerulean, Ego managed to steal a Bike, and then he went to get to the Cycling Road, but… aghast! The road was blocked by a Snorlax! Well then, he just had to go the long way, through Lavender Town and then south.

Another Snorlax?! That was…! Fuck. Then he wouldn’t be able to get to the damn truck. Oh, well. Original plan it was.

Back to Vermillion, he went through the Digglet Tunnel to get to Pewter City. He bought a Flashlight to get through dark caves, and some helpful guy cut a tree on his way. That way, he got to Pewter City. There, he was interested in one thing only: The Museum.

His only failure had been at Mount Moon… and he wanted a just compensation. He faced the guy who lied to the Rockets’s face about having both fossils stolen.

“W-what do you even want from me?!” The guy shouted.

“To get back at you” Ego said, tasting the power he had over the guy.

He stole an Old Amber from the guy, and left, satisfied, as he would keep his mouth shut about it. That had been the first time that he had gotten a taste of pure, unadulterated power, without any noble purpose or hidden agenda. He just did that because he liked it. Because he wanted to. And that made him feel powerful.

When he arrived to Viridian City, skipping the forest through the back route, he found a red-haired kid.

“Oh, great! You’re one of dad’s useless goonies, huh? Tell me, why does he do it, huh? Make you do his dirty work? Is he too much of a coward to do things himself?! Why can’t he… just come along with us?” The kid said.

The kid left. Ariana arrived.

“It was never any use, wasn’t it? Welcome to Viridian City, Ego” She said, right before leaving.

On Pewter's Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy Pewter asked him a favour, to beat up her cop boyfriend for having a side hussie. After dealing with that, he realized that this "side hussie" was a Jynx he was Poké-sitting. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, she asked for help, someone to substitute her. Ego asked for qualifications. None. Just smile and press the machine's button after having the PokéBalls put. He went back to the horizontal Underground Path and fought the pimp to let the Hoenn chick become a nurse at Pewter. He was given the HM Strength by the Hoenn girl back at Pewter.

Finally, Ego arrived to Pallet Town. He was ready to finally get to work.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

On Oak’s Lab, Ego decided to ask the guy who was guarding a PokéBall on a table. Well, he decided to take the PokéBall to himself, knowing that it was a powerful Pokémon. The aid stopped him on his tracks.

“Oh, no! I’m not letting you touch that!” He said.

Ego approached him.

“A-A Rocket? What do you want?” He asked.

“I want to talk with Oak” Ego said.

“I doubt that he wants anything with low-lifes such as yourself!” The aid said.

As he went to Red’s house, someone exited the Oak household. It was Agatha, an Elite Four, and Oak’s ex-wife.

“My, my! If it isn’t a surprise! Ego…! You’re a Rocket. I see you’re looking for information about my husband, eh? How about you stop by to have a chit-chat over tea?” Agatha asked.

Ego accepted. Back at the home, Daisy, Oak’s granddaughter and Blue’s sister, put a cup of tea to both grandma and Rocket Admin.

“Thank you, Daisy, your tea is excellent, as always” Agatha said.

She then looked at Ego.

“Oak and I… we were a tight-knit couple back in the day, you know? Samuel was a man of honour… back in the day. He valued strength, vigilance and purpose, and he embodied them. We raised a son together, in the image of those principles. He blessed us with grandchildren together with his wife, whom they raised according to our values” Agatha said. “But as soon as Blue was born… war struck, and we lost our child and his wife, leaving us to care for the children they left behind”

She looked teary-eyed.

“Samuel and I swore that we would avenge them. Our son… and our daughter in-law, their deaths wouldn’t be in vain. We would bring down Lance and avenge them” She said, to then laugh. “HAHAHAH! Isn’t that ironic now?! He swore it to me! He gave his word, Ego!”

Her voice turned wistful as it twisted.

“And then… a little while later.. He committed the most heinous, cowardly, shameful act I’ve ever seen! He was Champion. General of our armies. The most powerful man in Kanto… and he gave it up. All just to save his worthless skin!” She uttered, spiteful. “The soft, spineless fool who surrendered to Lance is NOT the man I loved! Even if he didn’t stand a chance… Even if fighting for something he believed in would’ve resulted in his death… At least it would’ve been an honourable one!”

Honour. It was a somewhat foreign concept to Ego. All that moved Ego was purpose. But he found comfort on it.

“Grandma, please…!” Daisy cried out. Ego and Agatha realized that she was in the room, shaking over her tea.

“I’m sorry, Daisy. For going there again” Agatha said, as she gulped on her tea. “You know how I can be sometimes. The tea was delicious, but now I have to go, darling. Always work to be done. Take care of yourself, and give my regards to your brother, alright? You’re such lovely kids”

She turned to leave, but then looked at Ego.

“I can’t say I approve what your boss or you are doing around Kanto, Ego” Agatha said. “But I can’t refute that I sympathize with your… frustration. Not quite respect, but… understanding. Until we meet again”

“Until we meet again” Ego said, holding his cup as a toast.

Agatha left.

“You know, I…” Daisy whispered.

Ego looked at her. She continued.

“I don’t think that grandpa is really a bad person. He’s really cheerful and friendly. The way they show him in the papers” Daisy said. “He gave me and Blue a happy childhood, and I’m grateful for that”

“Blue’s relationship with the Professor is not as good as you think” Ego said.

“What do you mean?” Daisy asked, surprised. Ego didn’t answer. “There’s one thing that’s… always bothered me…”

“There you are, Ego! What’s the holdup, dude?!” Ronnie’s voice shouted.

To Ego’s dismay, Ronnie irrupted into the peaceful household, exuding affable malice and macho aggression.

“Why, I’ve been looking all around for you! Sorry to interrupt your tea party and all, but yo! We got a Pokémon Professor to interrogate!” Ronnie grinned. “Let’s go hand it to Mr Oak, I’m just brimming with anticipation!”

“Ronnie, just…!” Ego tried to say.

“Oh, no! Is it true? You disgusting thug!” Daisy shouted.

“H-hey now!” Ego shouted, disturbed. “Let’s not do anything hasty…!”

“Grandma was wrong for trusting a Rocket for company, I knew I should have never allowed it!” Daisy screamed, to Ego’s dismay.

“Gee, Ego!” Ronnie grinned. “Haven’t you fixed yourself a feisty date, huh?”

“DATE?!” Ego shouted, utterly disturbed. “Ronnie, she’s fourteen at most!”

“And?” Ronnie asked.

“AND?!” Ego shouted, in disbelief.

“Well, no time for that! We gotta hit that lab pronto!” Ronnie said, ignoring Ego’s pleads.

“Are you daft?!” Ego asked, disturbed.

“In all my days… You’re not going anywhere!” Daisy shouted. “I won’t let any low-lifes like you trespass on my home and my family!”

She sent her Pokémon to battle. Ego frowned.

“You’ll see what happens when you don’t listen and defy me!” Ego shouted, sending his own Porygon2.

The battle was swift, although Daisy managed to knock down Ego’s Pikachu. Ego stole a Chansey from Daisy, infuriating her.

“Phew! Well done, Ego!” Ronnie said, happily. Ego was clenching his fists, wishing for him to just shut the fuck up. “Quite the energy on this one, huh? Leave it to me now, stand back”

“Ronnie, what are you doing?!” Ego said, as Ronnie got his Ratticate out. “Ronnie, I won the battle, we can go now!”

“HyperFang, go!” Ronnie ordered.

“RONNIE!!!” Ego shrieked, as Ronnie’s Ratticate assaulted Daisy, making her scream in pain.

“Well, good riddance!” Ronnie grinned.

“Shut the fuck up, Ronnie! What was that?! She needs medical attention, now!” Ego screamed.

“Pfff! Bah! She’s a rich kid, haven’t you seen the Pokémon in her? Ratticate! Search other things to loot!” Ronnie smiled.

“Battery, robbery, assault, refusal to help…” Ego paced around, as he saw things unraveling. “What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck…!”

“What’s up with you, Ego? As if you haven’t seen a Rocket in action! I feel like an interrogation is the best way to wake you up, huh?” Ronnie smiled, affable.

Behind that affable smile and malicious actions, Ego could finally see that Ronnie was an utter, unadulterated, unashamed, macho… dumbass! And as the Admin, Ego was responsible for the grunt’s actions. 

“(Shit… SHIT… SHIT!)” Ego screamed inside his head. He then managed to say something. “I checked the lab. He wasn’t even there”

“Wait, what?” Ronnie said, surprised. “Well, talk about a big, fat waste if I ever saw one!”

“YES!” Ego screamed.

“Well, it’s a good thing we at least saw some action, right? There’s nothing as good as a robbery” Ego just gave up on him on that moment. He would go with whatever the fuck he wanted. After all, he was digging a grave for himself. Ego just hoped it wasn’t big enough for the two of them. “Well, we better go to HQ”

Sure, why not? Ego left Ronnie to his own devices, leaving on Spearow’s back. At Celadon’s Pokémon Center, he switched Fearow for Chansey, wanting to train it in the interim between his report and the following mission. At least he would be able to use her to fix Ronnie’s unnecessary mistakes, if need be.

He arrived back to HQ.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Back at HQ, Ego decided to report to Giovanni what had happened back on Pallet Town, fearing consequences for Ronnie’s behaviour. But he found Ronnie already there, digging his grave.

“Well, Boss, Ego and I are best buds, you know” The fuck? No, they weren’t. Ego was still angry at Ronnie for needlessly assaulting and robbing Daisy blind. “I just figured he needed some help!”

Giovanni looked… dissatisfied, at the very least.

“That girl was clearly connected to those twerps, Red and Blue! Yet you not only interfere with one of my Admin’s investigations… but proceed to openly reveal the purpose of his mission! How could a dim-witted individual like you pass our initiation process…?!” He then realized something. “Hang on. You’re the grunt who got the police on our backs back then on the Cerulean scandal, are you?! In Arceus’s name… GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

Ego’s back shivered at Giovanni’s outburst. Ronnie flinched.

“You’re damn lucky that I don’t let a pack of wild Arcanine on you right this second!” Giovanni screamed. “SCRAM!”

Ronnie found Ego as he exited.

“Damn, Ego. Boss sure is grumpy” He grinned, affably.

“What the fuck, Ronnie?” Ego asked, tired of him.

“Guess I’ll have to wait for that promotion until he chills out” Ronnie grinned regardless. “If he had seen me at my best, that’ll show him what I’m good for!”

A promotion. Ronnie was seriously, terminally stupid. Ego had this thought of Ronnie possibly having some weird mental condition. He brushed that aside, no. That kind of stupidity was sheer ignorance.

“Well, I have him warmed up for you and everything, Ego. You’re welcome!” He grinned, walking away.

Yeah, warmed up… Too warmed up. Boiling with anger, specifically. Ego had just found out how awful he was at conflict deescalation, so if Giovanni wanted to chew him out, he would have no real way to defend himself other than battling. Battle the boss? Ego would rather jump to try and reach the stupid truck without the HM Surf.

“Well” Giovanni said. “I won’t need a rundown of your mission, Ego… Ronnie has told me enough”

Ego thought, very rapidly, if demotions were a thing in Team Rocket. Giovanni coughed.

“Ehem! Now then, if Oak’s nowhere to be found, I’ll have to set another team on him to locate him” Giovanni said. “I don’t like one bit that he’s away, but what can we do about it? We’ll postpone the investigation until we locate him”

“Y-you got it, Boss” Ego said, trying to appease him.

“In the meantime… I have a new mission for you, Ego. Listen up” Giovanni said. Ego perked up. “Blaine, that stinking bald wimp of a Gym Leader, has gone cold on us”

Ego remembered Blaine’s refusal to continue making Porygons. He remembered how Himeko had confessed putting hidden Upgrades on Blaine’s last batch. Man, he missed Himeko. What would she be doing in that moment?

“Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Blaine’s stayed silent like a mouse. And… he knows I don’t tolerate such a thing” Giovanni said. “Here’s what you’ll do. Head over to Cinnabar Island and get a hold on Blaine personally. Tell him straight out: Between this Porygon nonsense and all his chickening out lately… He had better get his act together and do exactly what we tell him or else we’ll have that scalp of his so thoroughly scorched he’ll finally live up to his nickname!”

Ego nodded.

“Give him a good little beating right away, if it’s necessary” Giovanni continued. “Just to let him know we mean business”

Giovanni then looked at Ego.

“Cinnabar Island is at the south-west corner of Kanto, just across the water on Pallet or Fuschia. Go talk to the guy at the lab upstairs. He’ll fix you the HM for Surf if you tell him I sent you” Giovanni said. “That’s all, Ego. No dwindling around, now! Show Blaine how we Rockets deal with people who chicken out”

Ego went to the lab to get the Surf HM. He then remembered how he wanted to go to Fuschia to get it for himself. He decided to check out the path to the Biking Road… and there was no Snorlax blocking the way! Perfect. He used his stolen bike, used some bikers as punching bags to train Pikachu and Chansey, and to upgrade his team a little bit, and reached Fuschia.

On the gym, Koga, the Gym Leader and a Rocket sympathizer, asked him for a favour: To get the Hidden House at the Safari to stop hoarding the Surf HMs so people wouldn’t just skip his gym due to his Badge being useless, as legally, only people with Koga’s Badge could use Surf (Ego was a criminal, so he wasn’t bound by such legality). He was given a fake ID to present as a Safari worker, kicked around the Guard so he wouldn’t tell on him, and reached the Hidden House, intimidating the man there into letting him take HMs. Along with Koga, Koga licensed the fake ID, Mohammed Smith, so he would be able to challenge gyms if he wished to. He didn’t want to, though, as he only had done that to solve his pending issues with Fuschia City.

Finally, he decided to do what he wanted to do all that time: He taught his Vaporeon the move Surf, and arrived on Vermillion to finally get to that damned truck. His blood was aching, that truck was so damned important somehow…! He just had to investigate it, it was on his blood…!

He used Strength to move that truck, he had taught it to Chansey. He moved it ever so slightly, his blood aching as he did… Something screamed under it.

“Mew!” That thing said.

Something challenged him to a battle! It was… Mew! Finding Mew under that truck… it was a transcendental experience for Ego, he could feel his entire body, each and every cell of his body chanting at unison.

“(Catch me if you can!)” The voice of Mew could be heard on his heart, loud and clear.

Ego decided to answer that challenge, he had lots of spare PokéBalls on his person. The battle was protracted. Mew was playing around, but they were still a very powerful Pokémon, cutting down his Pokémon like it was nothing. Then, it occurred to him. Ego had Timer Balls on his person! Balls specifically designed for protracted battles!

He tried one, two, three… And then the fourth was chucked! One shake, two shakes, three… and gotcha! Ego couldn’t believe it! He had caught Mew! He had the PokéBall on his hands, and Mew went out of it.

“(I let you catch me)” Mew stated. “(I’ve seen you, during all my life. You and I are very similar where it counts!)”

“W-where it counts?” Ego asked. “What do you mean?”

“(I feel it would be better if you found out yourself!)” Mew said, happily. “(You know, I’ve been watching you battle all this time. It seems fun! Add me to your team, please!)”

“A-alright!” Ego said, convinced. “I’ll put Alakazam back on the PC, to make room for you”

“Kazam…” Alakazam nodded, slightly saddened. He liked Ego’s company after all. Mew giggled.

“(Don’t worry, Alakazam! We can play together any other time!)” Mew said on Ego’s heart, as it talked with his own voice to Alakazam.

Ego decided to continue on with his mission… he would go to Cinnabar Island, and get to Blaine to teach him a lesson… along with the Mew that the scientists had experimented on!

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

From Pallet Town, Ego decided to use Vaporeon to Surf all the way to Cinnabar Island. He first went to the Pokémon Lab, where he found someone who studied fossils to revive the Pokémon within. He gave him the Old Ambar he had stolen back at Pewter for him to revive, and continued on with his quest. At the gym, he found out that the door was… locked! He decided to look for Blaine at the Pokémon Center and the PokéMart, to no avail.

Exploring the Pokémon Mansion, Ego and Mew found different notebooks, which recounted the story of Mew. How they had been found in the jungle, its DNA messed with to make clones… to make Mewtwo. He then found a letter, on the basement. It was from Professor Oak.

“Dear Blaine, you’ve positively shocked me. Because of our own meaningful past together, I want least of all to make accusations against you, but you leave me no choice. My recent investigations have led me to the conclusion that you are in fact working with Team Rocket. I’m disappointed in you, but as your friend, I see no need to taint your near-flawless Gym Leader and scientific reputations over such a minor slip-up. At least… I certainly hope you should give me no reason to spread my discovery further? I suggest we meet at your earliest convenience to ensure it does not come to that. Regards, Profesor Oak”

“(You humans use such funny words! He said nice things, but the way he wrote them wasn’t nice at all!)” Mew laughed around.

“It’s called blackmail” Ego said. “We’re here because Blaine doesn’t want to keep working with us Rockets, but it seems he didn’t have a choice”

“(Yeah! Blaine is being blackmailed by Oak!)” Mew said.

“Alright, let’s put you in your PokéBall” Ego said. “I don’t want Blaine to know you’re with me. Nor Giovanni, for that matter”

Mew accepted to go inside the PokéBall.

Ego startled Blaine when he arrived to his office.

“Argh!” He shouted, surprised. “So you’ve come at last after me? Ego, Giovanni’s dear pet”

“I’m not a pet” Ego answered back.

“It was only a matter of time. Brace yourself, kid!” Blaine said, challenging Ego. “I never wanted this mess, you hear me! I regret everything!”

The fight was intense, and Ego refused to use Mew, using both Porygon2 and Vaporeon to deal with Blaine’s Pokémon. When he defeated them, Blaine caved.

“Alright, alright! Please, Ego! Have it your way…!” He pleaded. “He just can’t seem to get it, that Giovanni. I… I believe in Team Rocket’s cause as much as anyone, but… I’m a Gym Leader and an academic, not a petty criminal! We can’t sacrifice all we are for his pretentious ideals of revenge, can we?!”

Ego listened to Blaine’s speech.

“And now… Oak’s gonna publicly shame me if I keep doing work for Team Rocket… and I can’t even count on Himeko because she’s gone AWOL…” Blaine said, piquing Ego’s interest. “Meanwhile, Giovanni’s going to beat me up if I don’t keep doing it! It’s a mess”

Blaine looked at Ego, his expression indeciferable.

“Well, well… I guess you’ve showed me that Giovanni’s serious on his own threats. Look, Ego. I’ll do anything if you get your boss to give me a second chance. I… I’ll tell you anything you want to know!” Blaine said. “Did… did Giovanni tell you about the work we did in this Mansion? Eleven years ago?”

“He did. If you don’t have anything more to add, don’t” Ego said.

“I… I will add something he didn’t tell you!” Blaine shouted. “I happen to know that Oak lost his faith on Project Mewtwo long before he stood at the Plateau and gave up his power. Although he was the one to suggest the main concept, when he saw that thing, “The Catastrophe”, he stopped believing that a genetically engineered Pokémon would ever win us the war! And do you know how do I know all of this? Because he TOLD me!”

Blaine then advanced some steps.

“Shortly after that incident, Oak set me aside and asked me for help with something! He told me about a project he was cooking up that would help us solve the war…” Blaine said. “He wanted to involve Aced, your father, as a secret backer and a provider of raw materials. He said that he had already started working with those raw materials provided by Aced on a secret lab of his, but that he needed my assistance to see the project to its completion. At that point, though, I felt that things were going fine with the Mewtwo Project. I didn’t want to divert focus, and the offer was out of the blue… so I turned him down. HA! We both know how my focused effort went in the end”

“A secret lab…?” Ego asked, surprised. “My father provided him with raw materials?”

“He said it in a way that we both knew that it was an euphemism. I won’t know, though. A “secret lab”... Oh, he’s a shady guy, that Oak. Even disregarding his abominable surrender…” He looked at Ego. “Listen. If you can convince your boss that I mean it, tell him that I’ll do whatever he wants me to do. I’ll even make his precious Porygon if he needs me to, even if I won’t have Himeko’s assistance. Now, if Oak wants to rat me out, then… Half this region’s Leaders are in cahoots with you guys already. I’ll… take one for the team, I suppose”

Blaine sighed, frustrated.

“I guess some extra precautions wouldn’t hurt…” He left a key on the table. “Leave it there, if you would. I don’t want any weakling Trainers challenging me during times like these. Now leave me to it, Ego. Your boss wins today”

And he left. Ego then took Mew out, and they explored the Lab. Mew reacted a bit disgusted when he saw the machinery.

“(I love you, Ego, but those scientists… I don’t like them)” Mew said.

“I know. I’m sorry” Ego said.

Mew hugged his head and purred on his shoulder. Then, Ego put him onto the PokéBall, ready to come out of the mansion.

As he came out, the Rocket Pager beeped, it was time to come back to Celadon to report! First, though, he decided to pick up the resurrected Aerodactyl at the Lab. He left Spearow on the PC, and taught Fly to Aerodactyl in order to fly back to Celadon.

He arrived to Giovanni’s office, to find a surprising scene.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

At the boss’s office, every Admin was there except Ariana. Archer, Petrel and Proton. Giovanni was sitting on his comfortable confidant sofa, looking at Ego.

“About time you arrived. Let’s not waste any more time” He said.

Ego advanced, ready to listen to Giovanni.

“I assume everything went well in your last mission, Ego?” The boss asked. Ego nodded. “Good”

Proton sneered a little bit, but everyone stood silent to hear the boss.

“Now, gentlemen. I’ve called all of you here because we’re about to start Team Rocket’s most large-scale operation yet. Listen very carefully. Thanks to the efforts of Archer here on detaining Mr Fuji… the old man has given us more than we actually bargained for. Fuji let it slip up that Silph Co. is in the process of beta testing a top-secret new invention that’s been in development for years. This new device, dubbed a “Master Ball”, is a Pokémon capture tool alleged to be orders of magnitude stronger than any other PokéBall. The primary case of such a device should be obvious: Capturing Legendary Pokémon” Ego held Mew’s Time Ball on his hand very tightly. A Master Ball wasn’t needed, just lots of dedication. “Whoever wields this Master Ball could easily catch the Legendary Birds and have them under their control… and far more importantly… they could catch Mewtwo”

Ego’s blood burned upon the mention of Mewtwo.

“Knowing Silph’s predilections, we can already guess that the government will be the first and most active Master Ball customer. Lance doesn’t seem to care about the Legendary Birds, but… He would jump at the chance of catching Mewtwo once and for all. Mewtwo… under Lance’s control… it would be a grotesque disaster” Giovanni looked at them. “Were it back at Team Rocket’s hands, where it rightfully belongs, however… we would be a force to be reckoned with in all of Kanto. We need to get ahold of that Master Ball, and make sure that nobody else can do the same! Sour Silph Co. spies have been of much help acquiring information… But this situation calls for more drastic measures”

Proton smirked, Petrel laughed a little bit, Archer straightened his posture and Ego listened.

“That’s why we’ll lead Team Rocket to a complete occupation of Silph’s headquarters and of Saffron City at large!” Giovanni’s eyes gleamed.

So that was Giovanni’s master plan? To occupy Saffron? Ego clenched his fists. It was a bold move, that’s for sure.

“(He’s… he’s being bolder, right?)” Mew asked from its PokéBall, telepathically.

“(The situation is escalating)” Ego thought to himself.

“Station every grunt available to Silph’s premises. Locate the company’s highest ranked scientists and engineers and take them hostage” Giovanni ordered. “If you find any information or materials pertaining the Master Ball project, seize them at once. Once we’ve established complete control over the premises… I’ll personally come and make demands to the company president. We’ll have that Master Ball! Do I make myself completely clear? Then make your way to Saffron City, Rockets! We’ll update you on your specific task once you’re there! This is a big moment for Team Rocket, show no mercy!

“YES, SIR!” The four Admins shouted.

As Ego went to Saffron, he decided to call Himeko using the phone that Bill gave him. Himeko’s contact was in there.

“Ego? Long time no see!” Himeko smiled audibly. “Do you want another date?”

“Are you at Sliph Co.?” Ego asked.

“I’ve been with Bill working on the Porygons, but I was going to go there for a project I have going on” Himeko said.

“Then don’t go. Don’t even step on Saffron’s floor” Ego said, serious.

“W-what’s going on?” Himeko asked.

“There’s an operation at great scale to take over Saffron. Do not go there, or else you’ll be caught up in our nonsense” Ego warned her.

“Ego…” Himeko said. “OK. I won’t tell anyone. No one will realize you warned me”

“OK, fine. I’m glad” Ego said.

“By the way, Ego?” Himeko said. “You… do like the power to hurt people, right?”

“Huh? I… Well, I do like it” Ego said. “But I don’t enjoy unnecessarily causing pain”

“You are an evil man, but you’re also good. You’re a walking contradiction. Perhaps you’re the perfect guy to put my full trust on” Himeko said. “I’ll stay at Cerulean City. Call me when everything’s over, alright?”

“OK” Ego nodded, hanging up.

He arrived to Saffron. The city was being taken over by Rockets, but Ego didn’t care. When he entered Silph Co.’s building, he found Petrel and Proton.

“Hey, Ego!” Petrel said. “Let’s get this party started! There’s some grunts taking over the teleportation system so it’ll let us reach the President’s office. You go around taking the high-rank scientists hostage and beating up cops, how’s that sound?”

“Alright!” Ego said, as Petrel gave him the Silph Key Card to control the doors of the scientists’s offices. “Let’s go!”

As he searched for the scientists to lock up, he found Ronnie fixing up the portal with some grunts. Groaning, he decided to go after dealing with all scientists. After he dealt with all of them, only Ronnie was standing aside the teleporter that would lead Ego to the President’s Office.

“Yo! Tired of taking hostages? I wanted some fun too, but oh well” Ronnie said. He then sighed. “If there was some way I could show the higher-ups that I’m just as badass as you are… I’m a tough-knuckled, hard-boiled criminal, just like you, Ego, right…?”

Then, Ronnie saw Ego’s Silph Key Card which he kept on his hand.

“Say, if you’re all done with taking hostages using that card you have… could you give it to me? I’ll take it down to Petrel and Proton and tell them that your job here is done! That’s a win-win, right?!” Ronnie asked.

“What would exactly you win in this situation?” Ego asked. “You would be just giving them the card that I used…”

But Ronnie had already swiped the card from his hands, making him scream in protest.

“Oh, Ego! You’re the bestest gangster bud that I’ve ever had, you know!” Ronnie said, grateful as he flaunted the card around. “We set that portal up to Floor 11, to the President’s office, you know? A direct line for the boss! How about you go there and hold the fort meanwhile?”

That’s… actually not a bad idea, Ego thought. His Pokémon were far stronger now. If Red went to the President’s Office to try to take control back from them… Ego would have a chance to battle. Ronnie left, and Ego teleported to the President Office’s way. On the way, he found Professor Oak, who was surprised to see Ego.

“Ego! How long has it been since we talked back in Lavender? A day? Two?” He said. “I see you’ve thought about my offer… It’s true your gang has invaded the building, yes?”

Oak looked at him, tentatively.

“Such a shame!” He said, jolly. “The son of Aced, wasting his precious time and scientifically-given gifts on such things as blackmail, thievery and violence…! Well, you know what they say… flawed prototypes are always flawed! Good day, Ego!”

Oak left through the teleporter. Flawed prototype? Scientifically-given gifts? Oak was just messing with his head. His blood was chanting something, the void on his mind became more pressing. He decided to ignore it and to concentrate on guarding the fort, like Ronnie had said.

As he arrived to the President’s Office, he found none other than…

“Bill?!” Ego asked.

Bill turned around.

“Ego! How nice to see you… I’m glad you warned Himeko, I didn’t want her to get caught up on your team’s nonsense, you know? I value her as a very good friend” Bill said, affably.

“What are you doing here?” Ego demanded to ask.

“Oh, you know. In a reunion with the President. Himeko told me about their plans to make the Master Ball, you know how she’s my mole here and all that! But oh, look at that, moles warning and snitching on each other! You almost look like my mom’s butt, such united moles!” Bill laughed.

“I’m tired of your bullshit wordplay with the word mole!” Ego said. “I’m not letting you take the Master Ball blueprints!”

“You… you’re serious?” Bill asked. Ego stood his ground. “Hah! You’re actually serious! Come on, Ego! You can’t beat me! You have no power, you’re the puppet of anyone who has something to give you! We can use you to our leisure, and you know that!”

“I challenge you” Ego said, focused.

“Well, it’s no use trying to break you by talking. Let’s break your spirit by beating you” Bill said. “Go, Porygon!”

“Go, Porygon2!” Ego ordered.

The fight was intense, but Ego managed to win it unscathed. Bill was surprised.

“Oh, geez… I can’t believe you defeated me” Bill said. “So close…! OK, change of plans. Ego… you idiot!”

Bill left the room without the prototype. Ego then approached the President.

“Look, I’ll cut to the chase. When I heard reports that we were being invaded, I thought it was an excuse for my engineers to slack off! I thought it was just a hoax, but well… Involving myself with the lot of you is a lot of bad PR, but how about Suzie here writes you a check as a token of good will? Nobody needs to know about it, you know?”

“I’m afraid you can’t bribe us like you bribe the goverment, old coot” Giovanni interfered. “Ego! What an astounding job you just did! Come here for a moment”

Ego approached Giovanni, who looked joyful.

“The building is ours, and this old coot has his life, his company and his employees under the mercy of our demands. Excellent work, Ego. The Master Ball will be ours! I must commend you for your loyalty and your skill. You’ve proven to be an invaluable part of Team Rocket… There isn’t a doubt in my mind. Allow me”

Ego was promoted to Rocket Executive right there in that moment, along with a new uniform!

“Say no more, Ego. You’ll carry one of these!” Giovanni gave Ego a crowbar. “No door will be locked, not for you. You’ll be able to steal from all Trainers, except Gym Leaders and above. I’ll handle the negotiations now, you might leave. Long live Team Rocket!”

Ego decided to leave, satisfied with his work. As he exited the building, he found Red. The surprise made him stumble aside, as Red entered the building with a small nod of acknowledgment. Then, Bill called him.

“Ego, drop anything you’re doing. Meet me at the Pokémon Lab of Cinnabar Island. As soon as conceivably possible. No time to explain, just do it” He hung up.

Ego frowned. After his scuffle with Bill… he still treated him like his mole? Well… Ego hadn’t reported Bill’s betrayal, so maybe that change of plans was what was happening at the moment. Ego wanted to go back to the building and warn Giovanni about Red, but… He decided not to.

He flew to Cinnabar as the sun rose in a new dawn, he had been at Silph Co. all day, it seemed.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Ego arrived to the Pokémon Lab at Cinnabar. Bill was waiting for him at the door.

“It’s about time you arrived” Bill said. “No time to waste, they’re already waiting us inside!”

Who? Ego walked into the lab and one of the laboratories inside. There were Himeko, Fuji and Blaine.

“Ego?! You scoundrel! What is he doing here?!” Fuji shouted. “You know what he did to me back at Lavender Tower, when he… he…!”

“Shut up, Fuji” Bill shut him down. “If Ego stole candy from one of your orphans, I’m sure he’s sorry. The project we’re about to realize is bigger than your personal vendettas, don’t you understand?!”

“I’m sure he understands” Himeko said. “Hi, Ego! Thanks for warning me about the take over? I was going to warn Bill that I wouldn’t be there to ease his negotiations with the President, but he wouldn’t pick up the phone! You know how he is”

“Take a seat, everyone. Let’s get to business” Bill said.

Then, Bill started his speech.

“Listen up, it seems as if our only Master Ball prototype is going to fall at the hands of Giovanni” Bill said. “It would have saved me a lot of trouble to get it myself… EHEM! But so be it”

Bill looked at Ego intently.

“I dunno what to tell you, man. You weren’t doing yourself any favours by calling me a puppet” Ego said.

“Anywho. Luckily, Himeko has hacked into the server and she has the blueprints on her personal computer. She’s always been a genius like that. If we can’t get a hold of the Master Ball prototype, we’ll make our own!” Bill stated. “There’s a brief window of time before the Master Ball becomes publicly available… that’s our chance to capture one of the most powerful Pokémon in existence… I’m not letting it go to waste”

“So this is what this is all about?” Fuji scoffed. “Mewtwo? Seriously?”

Bill laughed, amused.

“Mewtwo? Who was talking about Mewtwo? Let’s allow Lance and Giovanni to butt heads in that particular goose chase. I was talking about… the Catastrophe. We need some raw material to achieve the building of our prototype, though. And that’s where you, Ego, go in. I’ve planted an unique Bonguri deep into the Viridian Forest. I need you to go get it for me, got it?” Bill looked at Ego with intent. “I also need some raw materials from the Rocket labs, you’ll get that for me while no one is looking, right?”

Ego nodded, decided.

“Got it” He said.

On the depths of Viridian Forest, he found Silver alongside the Bonguri.

“Haven’t you heard, Rocket?” The kid said, smug. “Your team is through! You’ve been beaten up! But come on, return to your HQ…”

Then Ego’s Pager beeped. At the HQ, Giovanni had reunited everyone. He was fuming.

“Out of everything… after victory was upon our grasp… that twerp, Red… he snatched it out of our hands! Somehow, he got his hands on a Key Card, freed all the hostages and beat me up on a battle! It’s humilliating! A CHILD!!!”

“He… got the Key Card?!” Ego asked.

“Ego!” Ronnie whispered very loudly. “Don’t let them find out that he got my Key Card…”

Silence befell the room. They could all hear Giovanni’s blood pressure rising.

“YOU!” Giovanni screamed. He ran and slammed Ronnie against the floor. “First of all, you failed to help your fellow men on guarding the fossils back at Mount Moon, then you got the police on our backs, then you gave away your Admin’s mission… I am getting tired of tolerating your failures!”

“I-I… I’m not… Please, boss! Give me another chance! I’m just as bad and evil as any of the big guys!” Ronnie said.

“You think this is about satiating a sociopathic ego?!” Giovanni took Nidoking out. “Nidoking, use Earthquake!”

Ronnie got assaulted by Giovanni, shrieking.

“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I MURDER YOU!!!” He shrieked.

Ronnie left, not daring to look at Ego on the way out.

“It doesn’t matter! We’ll barricade on the Viridian Gym… Third time’s the charm!” Giovanni said. “Everyone, to the Gym!”

They all left. Ego took advantage of that to steal some tech from the labs. He fought a robber for the tech, and stole a Tentacruel from him. With everything at hand, the Apricorn and the Tech, he went back to the Cinnabar Lab to give everything to Bill.

“Excellent. You, old slackers! Time to resume production!”

After a while, the five of them were contemplating the artifact.

“Look at that. That is a Master Ball prototype. The only thing we have left is to find the Catastrophe. And the only person who knows where the hell it is is Shigeki” Bill said.

“But he disappeared without a trace!” Blaine complained.

“There is someone who knows” Bill said. “Due to sharing all of our DNAs, Mewtwo can track us psychically. So Mewtwo knows where Shigeki is. Ego, you have the mission to go to Mewtwo, challenge it to a battle, and wrestle Shigeki’s location out of it”

Was it crazy? Very. But Ego was sure that it would work. Himeko saw him off as he flew to Cerulean City and fought his way to the Cerulean Cave. His body was burning, singing a song as he approached Mewtwo, so Ego took that feeling as an advantage to find it. Mewtwo looked at Ego, amused.

“I know who you are, what power you have and who you’re looking for. Use Mew for this battle” Mewtwo ordered. “And show me your power! Oh, how I crave for a good battle…! I have seen your endeavors, you have taught me so much… yet the impulses they gave me… they’re overwhelming! Stay on your feet, Ego! Entertain me!”

After battling, Mewtwo mewed, satisfied.

“Very good. I’ll show where and who he is now” Mewtwo showed Ego a psychic vision.

It was… an old man in Viridian City!

“Good luck. I’ll wait for you until you get stronger and give me a real challenge” Mewtwo said. “By the way, Ego… Now you’re whole. You were missing something. I gave it to you. You’ll be alright”

Ego’s blood had stopped burning and his feelings had gone away. What had he been missing? Everyone was so cryptic about it… But no more prattle. Ego decided to fly directly to Viridian to face Shigeki and ask him where the Catastrophe was.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Shigeki was unhappy when Ego inquired him about the Catastrophe, but he decided to explain himself.

“The one everyone calls the Catastrophe… its true name is MissingNo. Missing Number” Shigeki said. “Back when we were attempting to create Mewtwo, we thought about turning Mew’s DNA into binary code, like Porygon’s DNA is made of code… But unfortunately, it didn’t work. It generated a violent, glitchy, formless creature capable of warping reality itself. I locked it away myself… and you say that Bill wants you to catch it?”

“Yes” Ego said. “Don’t worry, Dr Shigeki. I have experience taking care of legends”

And he took Mew out of their PokéBall. Shigeki gasped, surprised.

“Mew…! And it trusts you? It lets you use it for battle?” Shigeki asked. “Very well then. Once I activate this, Missingno will be at the limits of Cinnabar Island. You must Surf in its shore in order to find it. Beware, as reality itself will collapse around it”

Shigeki activated it. Ego arrived to Cinnabar Island… but suddenly, the feeling of his cells singing? It got so much worse…! He felt his body spasming and twitching uncontrollably, as his skin turned of a curious grey and his body screamed. 

“I can’t can’t can’t can’t can’t AAaaaAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” Ego screamed, as his body began to glitch uncontrollably.

With difficulty, he found Missingno as he surfed, and chucked the Master Ball at him. Contact with that Ball calmed both reality and Ego’s body. Mew’s voice resonated on his heart.

“(You’re whole now, don’t worry! Your blood won’t burn, your body won’t hurt anymore!)” Mew said.

Fuji, Blaine and Bill came out of the Lab, surprised.

“I missed it?!” Blaine asked. “Oh, dear!”

"With all that power in your hands...!" Bill said, as he laughed, maniacally. "The Elite Four? The Champion?! ALL USELESS!!! YOU HAVE INFINITE POWER IN THAT POKÉBALL, BOY!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!!! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, EGO!!!"

“W-what’s going on?! What’s that?!” Blue asked, pointing at Ego’s PokéBall. “I remember seeing something like that down grandpa’s lab… and you, I remember seeing you!”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Blaine asked.

“I don’t know… it’s a very early memory, I was a toddler. I saw Grandpa pull some secret thing on his bookcase and access a shaft… he had you, Mr Rocket, and a piece of that weird Pokémon you just caught…”

“A secret lab?! Ego, you gotta go there!” Bill said.

Ego nodded, flying to Pallet Town. The Lab was closed… but Ego had his Rocket-sponsored crowbar. He pried it open, fought the aides, and went down the basement to find Oak’s secret lab.

There would be the answers he was looking for.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Down Oak's basement, Ego found many computers which told a story from Oak's point of view:

January 16, 19XX, 2:35am.

The Mewtwo Project was bound to fail, but Oak's colleagues refused to see it. MissingNo was just the canary on the coal mine... A Pokémon clone of Mew, however sotisphicated, could never be controlled. The others have all refused to back down... So from that moment on, Oak started a scientific project of his own. If it couldn't save Kanto, nothing would. He would use Aced Yoshimura's whole support for it. Aced believed in Oak when no one else would. And he would be willing to give anything for that belief. Including the life of his own kid.

Ego held his breath as he continued on. As he approached an open book, a Ditto assaulted him. Mew furiously defeated it.

"(I don't like Dittos! They're just... wrong! I can't stand them!)" Mew said, unnerved.

Ego read the book.

Ditto.
Transform Pokémon.
The simplest Mew clone succesfully synthesized.
Capable of Transforming, but shows none of Mew's other abilites nor power.
Obedient, but docile and weak.
Potential use for Pokémon breeding, but unsuitable for warfare.

Ego found another computer.

February 14th, 19XX.
11:15 pm.

There's a fatal flaw that Oak found on the logic underlying the Mewtwo Project. Yes... there is inmense potential in genetic engineering, Oak had no doubt of that. And the team had correctly isolated the genes responsible for aggression and sociopathy. But what good are those... in the body of a Pokémon that cannot be reasoned with? Oak reasoned that the wartime chaos makes people focus on raw muscle power to the exclusion of everything else. They forget that human beings are not savages. 

Ego kept finding computers.

February 29th, 19XX.
9:42 PM.

Why have Pokémon grown to be such a dominating force in society, Oak questioned? Not by their power alone. Left to their own devices, Oak considered Pokémon to be passive, simple-minded creatures. Above all, the thing that determines the strength of a pack of Pokémon... is the intelligence, the discipline and the leadership of their human masters, Oak explained. 

Ego found himself assaulted by the statues adorning the Lab, a security system that sent Pokémon after him!

"Oak has designed Pokémon battling AI?! The fuck he needed humans for?!" Ego asked.

After the swift defeat of the guard, Ego found more computers.

March 11, 19XX.
1:16 AM.

Oak discarded all prior assumptions. What if the genes his project synthesized were instead manifest... in a genetic clone... of a human boy? Yes... a boy with those unique and unwavering qualities, raised for Pokémon battle. He would not be subject to the same limitations as a normal human Trainer. Coldly and objectively he could devise his battle strategies, push his Pokémon to their limits... like a dispassionate puppet master, directly controlling the actions of his Pokémon from afar... As if by the click of a button.

Fuji and Shigeki taught Oak all he needed, but he still needed to learn how to manipulate human DNA. He decided to experiment, mixing Mew, Mewtwo and MissingNo's samples that he had taken from the Lab at Cinnabar with the human DNA of some poor sap. And how adequate, that Aced Yoshimura is ready to give Oak his 16 year old child for the project?

Ego's heart grew colder. Had he been experimented on? Was that why he felt so intrinsecally connected to those three Pokémon? Was that why he was so connected to Pokémon and Pokémon battling in general? Was that why he struggled with things like conflict deescalation? His DNA, the core of his very being... had been messed up by Oak?! And what about his memories? Were they messed up too? Ego found more computers, disturbed.

Another open book.

MissingNo
Computer glitch Pokémon.
A powerful but incomplete digital replica of Mew's DNA.
Erratic and impossible to control.
Known to interfere with computer systems and duplicate items.
The full extent of its ability to manipulate its surroundings is not known.

Ego continued on, disturbed for all the revelations. Another computer.

June 3rd, 19XX
9:45 PM.

After learning everything that Oak had to learn, he erased from Ego most of the genes pertaining to sociopathy and lack of emotions. More as a favour to his father than anything, Aced, a poor fool who wallowed in shame due to letting his child suffer under Oak's experimentation. Ego's been in a coma for the experiments, and pronostics say that his brain will be scrambled out of trauma.

Oak was, still, unable to recreate the body of a full-grown living body of battling age. For the clone to resemble a human well enough to fool the world... he would create his master Trainer as an embryo and let nature take its course. A sterile local widow, blindly devoted to Oak since her youth, happily agreed to adopt him as his mother. Of course... he would need little nurturing for his genetic code to bloom as intended. The purpose of his childhood will be to imprint only a single lesson. That Oak was a father figure that he could trust... and that his word, for the boy's own good, was law. 

Another computer.

August 17th, 19XX.
7:15 PM.

The Pokémon League Challenge is a ray of hope for many naive young Trainers... even if only one in a million ever stand a chance at being Champion. Fortunately for Oak... it can readily be exploited. As soon as he's given his license, Oak's little clone shall rise up the ranks at unprecedented speed... Gym Leaders, criminal organizations, Legendary Pokémon... they would be no match for him. They would never see a child like him coming. They wouldn't believe their eyes. 

Another open book.

Mewtwo
Genetic Pokémon
A blend of Mew and human DNA.
Mew's equal in power and intelligence.
Bloodthirsty, ruthless, remarkable cognitive abilities.
But too independent, will not follow orders.
Like a selfish human.

Another computer.

September 2nd, 19XX
2:41 AM

Mewtwo escaped the Pokémon Mansion and put an end to the farse that the Mewtwo Project was, to Oak's satisfaction. Kanto's military resources were running out... they couldn't afford the war any longer. Oak knew that Lance wouldn't give in until he had the Professor's head on a pike and all of Kanto kneeling before him... So he would give in. He would surrender his position as Champion. Lance would gleefully take his place and the public would shame Oak as a coward and a traitor. But Oak'll live. And in ten years' time... he would wipe that grin out of Lance's face. Red was nothing but a toddler, but... he would grow to be a Champion... under Oak's rule. He would argue that Red was profoundly autistic and needed Oak to be his spokesperson. With nobody being the wiser, Oak would be free to rule both Kanto and Johto, as his dear little homunculus puppet wiped out any opposition who dared challenge him.

Oh, a decade of public dishonour was more than worth it. Because when the time came... Oak would return with a vengeance.

Ego's Rocket Pager beeped. He needed to be in Viridian's headquarters. Knowing the answers he was looking for, Ego left in utter disbelief of what he just witnessed.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

On Viridan City, the first thing that Ego did was to put Chansey on the PC and bring MissingNo. Both Ego and MissingNo had connected psychically, now Ego knew that it was due to their shared DNA.

He advanced to the Viridian Gym… to then see Red exiting it. Ego pitied the kid, but knowing the full extent of his existence and knowing that Ego hadn’t still beat the kid still put dread on his heart. Ego let him go through. As he approached the Gym, he saw Giovanni and Ariana. Ariana was chasing him, tears on her eyes.

“Please… Giovanni… Don’t go! Please!” She pleaded.

“There’s nothing you can do to avoid this, darling” Giovanni said, softly. “Leave me be”

Giovanni found Ego. Ego saw how he wore a fedora and a coat, clearly ready for a journey.

“Ego… you’re here at last” Giovanni said. “I’m ashamed that you have to see me like this”

“Boss, I…” Ego said.

“I’ve been defeated in battle for the last time” Giovanni interrupted him. “I cannot face my followers any longer. I’ve… betrayed your trust”

Giovanni looked away. Ego comprehended, terrified, that Red had beaten the Earth Badge out of Giovanni.

“With the last scrap of honour I have left… It’s time for me to move on. We’ve worn out our welcome in Kanto a long time ago. I think it’s best… if this was the ending of Team Rocket” Giovanni said.

Well, that was it, then. Ego had really no reason to continue his charade: He had already found all the answers to his questions, and Team Rocket would be no more, so why keep being around? But still, something moved him to keep listening Giovanni out. Maybe it was because it had been a long time friend of his father. His father, Aced Yoshimura. Knowing himself forcefully turned into a homunculus, Ego pondered if his father never told him anything out of shame for giving up his child for a madman’s ambition.

“I don’t expect all of my Admins and Executives to agree” Giovanni continued. “So, Ego… you’re free to keep causing havoc on Kanto if you prefer. But whatever it becomes of Team Rocket from now on… it’ll be without me at the helm”

Ariana ran towards them, panting.

“I… I… I won’t have this insanity! All of our work, Giovanni! Everything we stood for!” She screamed, tearfully. “Over some child?!”

“Yes. A child, Ariana. A child who will soon rule both Kanto and Johto… without the slightest bit of bloodshed to his name. What have we achieved? We roused the anger and the support of those who longed back to the golden years of Kanto… and become the masters of the criminal underworld. But we’re no closer to our ultimate goal than we were ten years ago. I truly thought that we had the clearest path of power laid out for us… but I was lying to myself the whole time” Giovanni said. “That kid… the first time I heard of him, I felt so… angry. All my violent frustration, my bitterness… I didn’t understand why he brought it all from me. Didn’t understand that he was making me see… the blindingly stupid weakling I’ve became. But I see now. And so, it’s time for me to go”

Ego nodded slowly, as Ariana shook her head in disbelief.

“Ego, I apologize for everything” Giovanni said. “Team Rocket won’t rule Kanto”

He then thought something.

“But perhaps…” He then shook his head. “No, I won’t say any more from now. Take this, as a final token of my appreciation for you, Ego. I had such high hopes for you… It makes me proud… how far you’ve come since you first came into my office all those days ago. Make the best of the power and responsibility I’ve given you. So long, Ego. Your father would be so proud of you”

Ego’s father had been so thoroughly dishonored by Oak’s machinations that even an eggplant would be subject of pride for him, that wasn’t a high bar to clean, Ego thought, extremely disillusioned with his dad, as Giovanni left.

Then, someone exited the Gym. A kid. Giovanni’s kid, Silver.

“NO! COME BACK, YOU BASTARD!” The kid screeched, as he pursued Giovanni. “Don’t you dare… don’t you DARE run away! I hate you! You’re the reason for everything that’s bad!”

And he ran after him, as Ariana was heartbroken.

“Be strong…” She whispered to herself. “It’s what he would have wanted…”

And she left. Ego opened the suitcase that Giovanni had given to him. It had a sack of money, 10K! A letter was attached to it.

“Dear Ego, I’m not fit to lead Team Rocket any longer. My criminal dignity won’t allow it. I’ve failed you. But you, Ego… you’ve grown much stronger than any of us. As a Pokémon Trainer there’s not a Rocket that measures up to you. And your honour’s still intact. So, with my blessing… Do the things I should’ve done ages ago. Go westwards to the Indigo Plateau and take on the Elite Four. Deliver our revenge on Red, Lance and… Oak. Leave Team Rocket a lasting legacy on Kanto. Let them remember us. Use our infamy to the fullest… then disband the organization for good. The contents of this briefcase are yours to keep. I’m giving you all the power and prestige the criminal world has to offer. The power to steal from Gym Leaders, Elite Four members and the Champion himself. This is to be your final promotion. 

Regards, Giovanni.”

Ego put on the suit. A black suit with a white chemise, his hair all slicked back to have a professional air, his beard clean-shaved. Ego was Team Rocket’s new boss… and he would give it a long-lasting legacy.

He left off to battle the eight Gyms using the identity of Mohammed Smith that Koga had given him. Showing off both Mew and MissingNo’s great power and abilities, he stole the Pokémon they most cherished, just to be a dick to every one of them, to feel the immense power that was felt when stealing something cherished, to fully embrace being a criminal. He fought Ariana for last, stealing her dear Murkrow, a Johtonian Pokémon. Team Rocket was broken, Archer and Ariana did not accept Ego as leader, while Petrel and Proton were on the fence. But Ego did not care one bit.

And thus, the eight Badges achieved, Ego went on his way to the Pokémon League…

“Out of the way if you know what’s good for you!” Someone screamed.

Ego bumped into… Lance! He looked extremely angry.

“Giovanni?!” He asked, as he saw Ego. He then saw better. “No… You’re just one of his more well-dressed goons, no? Off to loot some exotic Pokémon from Victory Road challengers?”

He was sneering, mockingly.

“I’ll say… that’s a real menace to Pokémon challengers! And most decidedly… not my problem anymore!” He said, joyfully.

“What?!” Ego asked.

Lance then turned around.

“Haven’t you heard? Ha! Then I’ll spare you the trouble of stealing from the newsstand tomorrow. It’s over! I’m no longer Champion!” Lance laughed, dryly. “A decade of unchallenged reign… Gone! In an instant! By some… oh, God, I can’t even say it! What will my grandfather think?!”

A kid?, Ego thought, as flashes of Red came to his mind. Was he too late?! Should he have just busted into the League instead of getting the Badges…?!

“Some little kid from a middle-of-nowhere town!” Lance complained.

Red?! Ego’s anxiety rose.

“It’s… positively absurd” Lance kept going, clearly glad to have someone to vent to. “Hey! And what are you so smug about?!”

Ego was puzzled. Was Lance confusing his silence with smugness?

“Don’t you go thinking this is some political victory for you silly bunch of anarchists, now! Entitled, delusional delinquents… that’s all Team Rocket ever was! This changes nothing! Agh… I thought that nothing could further aggravate me today… but you’ve done it, punk! I don’t care if the region soon breaks apart now this farmboy is Champion… I’ll show you how a real leader deals with criminals like you!” Lance screamed.

So it wasn’t Red! Had it been Red, Lance would’ve complained about Oak being the de-facto ruler through the boy. Had Blue made it before him? Well, it was either Blue or a hither-to-not known kid from Lavender Town, very few settlements in Kanto answered to the “Middle-of-nowhere” descriptor. Ego chose to believe that it had been Blue the victor.

The battle was intense. Lance was astonished when Ego showed off his Mew.

“Where… WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GET THAT?!” He asked, as Mew made one of his Pokémon faint.

“Wrap your head around this! Come back, Mew! Go, Missingno!” Ego sent MissingNo to battle.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!” Lance shouted.

MissingNo beat up his other Pokémon. While Lance was astonished, Ego stole his Dragonite.

“Unbelievable…!” Lance said. “A punk like you…! I need to compose my emotions…”

Lance then looked at Ego, composed.

“I’ll have you know, Mr Mafioso… I could’ve had you all detained if I wanted to. I know about your Game Corner hideout. I know that my anti-crime laws did nothing to stop you. I didn’t mean them to. I wanted to wait. For you to cause real mayhem. Arrest and punish you as headline news, make a public statement… to please the crowds and restore their faith in me. And to show my doubters how mad all gangs like yours are… that still long to return to pre-war Kanto! Your Silph Co. invasion was the perfect opportunity, you know?” Lance asked. Ego knew what he was talking about. Even he thought that it had been a bit extreme back then. Oh, how he longed for those exciting moments. “I was going to rush at the last moment, give your boss a beating and save the day… But by the time I arrived… It seemed like someone had already beaten me to it”

“Then you fucked up from the beggining” Ego replied.

Lance shrugged.

“Well! What’s done is done! I’m not finished with Kanto yet, I still got a position to defend. I’m a member of the Elite Four now, you know? New responsibilities” He turned around, huffing. “So excuse me while I change the new Champion’s diapers!”

He flew away on Aerodactyl. Even if Red wasn’t the Champion, Blue was second best… and eager to please his grandpa. Ego decided to go into Victory Road, pleading to himself that Oak were so hubristic that he subestimated the only person out of the three best Trainers of the region who hadn’t been genetically engineered.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Ego advanced through the Victory Road, exhibiting the Badges he got. He fought the Trainers around the area, stealing their Pokémon. He got some very rare Pokémon thanks to that, including picks like Heracross, Shuckle, Umbreon and Delibird, from the Johto region.

His Pokémon were all exhausted, only Mew and MissingNo remained. He quickly healed them on the Pokémon Center, as people looked in disbelief at the TV, where Blue was giving his first speech. On the League, he found Ronnie there!

“Hey, Ego! Long time no see! Man, I’ll tell you… It’s rough to be a solo gangster ever since I left Team Rocket. I’ve robbed a couple of schoolgirls and Youngsters, but it’s just not the same anymore…” Ronnie said.

“Never change, Ronnie” Ego said. “Never change”

“Look at you, Mr Posh!” Ronnie said, happily. “I suppose the hair gel comes with the promotion?”

“It’s just to look the part” Ego said, happily, going along with Ronnie now that he didn’t care about his stupidity negatively affecting him. “It’s super uncomfortable, I hate how stiff the hair gets with this. Next time I take a shower, I’m just combing it and that’s it”

“Looks rough, buddy!” Ronnie grinned. “Hahahah! Anyways… Have you seen the news? These are mad times! Lance is defeated! Done for…! And guess what?! Someone’s gone just to challenge the Elite Four already!” Ego felt worry about it. “Oh, oh! But you will never guess who’s the new Champion! It’s there, on TV!”

Blue, on the Champion room, looked nervous in the interview. When asked what he would do as Champion, he looked out of his league.

“I… uh… I will make it legal for people to use their bike indoors! And… and…”

“And can we ensure that the trade agreement with Hoenn will be upheld under you?” Someone asked him.

“Eh… Yes. Of course” Blue said, clearly out of his league. “Look, we’ll figure that out… No one has to worry! Now that I’m the Champion there will be nothing but peace and happiness to everyone! Don’t you doubt it!”

“Blue, sir! There are rumours about another Trainer of your hometown defeating the Gym Leaders and going after your position! Can you comment on this? Are you concerned about him?”

Poor kid. Ego noticed that even Ronnie felt pity for the kid. Blue’s face crunched in a funny face that kids should do when given too much math homework, not when having their political position challenged by their homunculus friend.

“Hah! Yeah, I know that stupid stinker… He has no chance! Let it come! I’ll wipe the floor with that loser and everyone will forget about him! Just wait and see! Anyway, folks… You’re too kind, but duty calls! Being Champion is hard work. Smell ya later!” He finished the interview.

“So it’s true then…” Oak said, right behind Ego. “I can’t believe it… Blue? No, it’s not possible…”

He ran towards the entry of the challenge.

“Here, guard! Let me through! I’m the new Champion’s grandfather and I demand to see him!” Oak shouted.

“Oh, fuck” Ego said. “If Oak gets to Blue… we’re all doomed!”

“Huh? What are you saying?!” Ronnie asked.

Ego ran towards the entry, but someone called him.

“Ego, wait!” It was Bill. “I came as soon as I could… Damn it! I tried to outrun that geezer Oak, but I feel that he outran me instead… The clock’s ticking now… We have to stop him, quickly!”

Bill looked nervous.

“Ego, I’ve seen the basement lab. I know that you’re that homunculus’s prototype. For everything you hold dear… help me rid Kanto from the threat that both Red and Oak pose! We have to go!”

They ran to the guard of the entrance, but he didn’t budge.

“A challenger is already doing his challenge. You can wait” The guard said.

“Fuck…! Let’s group and think!” Bill said.

Away from the guard, Bill was thinking.

“We need someone to cause ruckus… someone who will disturb everything by assaulting this guard, and, in the confusion, we swoop in!” Bill said.

“Someone who causes ruckus…” Ego had an idea. “Ronnie!”

“Who?” Bill asked.

“It’s my friend from Team Rocket, we started together. He’s always been a loose cannon, he even got expelled from Team Rocket. Bit stupid, but ready to cause mayhem. Has an ego, so we just gotta ask him to help us save Kanto and he just might” Ego smiled.

“Wow. Didn’t know you had it in ya” Bill smiled. “OK, then. Let’s do this”

Ronnie was quickly convinced. He assaulted the guard with his Ratticate.

“TIME TO BE A MACHO MAN AND SAVE THE WORLD!!!” He screamed, happily.

In the confusion, Ego and Bill snuck in, ready to defeat Red if need be.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

"Are you ready?"

Ego had said yes. He went into the Elite Four, ready to stop Oak, defeat Red and save the region.

First of all, Lorelei. She looked astonished.

"Who are you? First Oak, then Bill..." Lorelei said. "Now this swanky fellow who looks he might be Giovanni's nephew"

"I'm actually Aced's son" Ego said.

"I don't care. After all these years... it looks to me like Kanto is about to radically change again. That child who just passed... He's something to be reckoned with" Lorelei said, wistful. "I was prepared for a challenge, not a one-sided slaughter... Cold and calculated, not a sign of emotion. Can't imagine the others will fare any better against him"

She then looked at Ego.

"What are you gawking at? Run along! I'm not going to humor you with any tricks now that my Pokémon are knocked out" Lorelei stated.

Ego followed Bill, who urged him to go. Bruno was next.

"This is crazy, my friend. These powerful children... where do they come from?!" Bruno asked. "That child with the spiky hair... I thought I had a chance. Not so with the one called Red. Total destruction. I admire his power and his discipline, but I sense there is something... not right about him"

"Not right is the correct choice, I fear" Ego said.

"Nonsense! I must train harder, it's the only explanation" Bruno said.

Ego left to the next room... Agatha.

"We meet again, Ego. Much has happened, it seems" Agatha said.

"It seems like it" Ego nodded.

"I was filled with pride when Blue defeated me and took his rightful place as Champion. Pride that there was something worth preserving in my blood after all" Agatha said, wistful. "But Red... He seems a different beast altogether"

"I know" Ego looked down, trying to swallow his dread.

"I had never paid much attention to that child, but it's clear I made a mistake. I can understand now why Samuel held him in such high regard all these years" Agatha said. "To tell you the truth... I don't quite know what brought it out of these kids..."

She then stared at him.

"You're looking for Samuel, aren't you? I'll say. When he walked past me just now... It was strange. He was ice cold. Didn't say a word. But there was a glint in his eye. That cultivated, brownnosing politeness had all but disappeared. There was something in him like the way he used to be in the old days. Like he had a definite purpose he was chasing..." Agatha said. "Do what you must, Ego. But bear in mind... that I will honour whoever is the rightful Champion. And I cannot stand behind anyone who interferes with that justice. You've been warned"

So that was it. That was what Oak meant by exploiting the League. Whoever was Champion was Ruler, and the Elite Four's duty was to uphold that rule. For as long as Blue was the Champion, Ego and Agatha could band together against Oak. Once Red won... Well, Ego just hoped that he could blast away Ghost-types using MissingNo's Glitch Attack.

Ego left, finding Lance on his room.

"Gah! You again! I won't stand for this meddling! As if seeing that worm of a Professor again wasn't enough... Now we're invaded by genuine terrorists! If my Pokémon had any health left, I'd teach you a lesson, thug!" Lance claimed. "And were I still Champion, I'd have you hanged!"

"But it's neither of those cases" Ego pointed out.

"Don't get cocky" Lance said. "That kid will crush you. God knows it's not my responsibility anymore"

Ego went to the Champion room... as he saw Blue fall to the floor before Red, defeated. Oak looked jolly.

"Well done, Red!" He said. "That's the result of loving and caring for your Pokémon! As for you, Blue... if you just loved your Pokémon a little more... you could've stood a chance. Come now, Red! We gotta put you in the Hall of Fame!"

They left. Blue was crushed and heartbroken.

"I did love my Pokémon with all I had..." He cried out loud. "Wasn't I enough...?"

"Ah!" Bill said. "So much for nothing. I'll be damned... It's actually true, then"

"There must be something we can do!" Ego said.

"Once Red gets his name on the Hall of Fame, is undeletable. I don't think that even Himeko can hack into it" Bill said.

The public announcement resonated.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Champion Blue has been defeated! It's my honour to announce that the new Champion of Kanto-Johto is... Red from Pallet Town! Please stand by for further comments by the new Champion!"

Bill looked at Ego.

"I'll do a phone call" He said.

People gathered around the room, a television chain sent their people there.

"We can barely believe our eyes, viewers!" The announcer said. "No sooner have we receiced a new Chanpion than the title changes hands yet again! This extraordinary new young Champ has just finished his Hall of Fame ceremony and will return to give his inaugural speech! Who's to say what happens next? We are trembling with anticipation!"

Red and Oak came out, under thunderous applause. Red looked very... off, his sight vacant. Like he was not entirely there.

"My, how good it is to see you, people of Kanto!" Oak said, joyfully. "This is Professor Samuel Oak speaking. I stand before you with our new Champion... A uniquely talented young boy whom I've had the privilege to raise as my own in our little town... Red!"

People screamed in happiness.

"... Yes" Red nodded, eyes vacant.

"Marvelous, marvelous! Now then! I know some of you may remember the last time I stood in this room... And have mixed feelings about seeing me here again. But rest assured... I address you now as Red's caretaker, not as a former Champion" Oak had left the shoe drop. Ego looked at them with dread on his eyes. "Moreover... I'm embarrased to bring this matter to public attention this way... But since it concerns our new Champion, I see no real alternative"

"What might it be...?" Ronnie asked, at Ego's side.

"Ehem! You've all witnessed Red's unmatched talents for Pokémon battle. I'm sorry to say that this unique gift of his has come to a price... Red unfortunatelu suffers from certain... social disabilities" Oak pretended to confess.

"Bullshit!" Ego coughed, knowing both himself autistic and Red a homunculus.

"He cannot speak in public without pangs of debilitating terror... And he struggles to communicate with the outside world" Oak said. "So, for that reason, I'm taking on a special responsibility. I will be Red's... right-hand man. His main political advisor. And I will communicate his wishes to you, the people"

"So... Oak's the de-facto ruler?" Ronnie whispered.

"That's the idea" Ego whispered back.

"Evil..." Ronnie nodded.

"Do you agree with this arrangement, Red?" Oak asked, looking intently at the kid. "Have I understood you right?"

"...Yes, Professor" Red said once more.

"Very well, let's begin. It's clear to me, and to Red as well, of course, that some changes are in order for the region of Kanto. The previous goverment has been reckless with public safety. What do we make of the ever-growing cases of violent gang crime? Corruption amongst our Gym Leaders? When nothing Lance has done seems to be slowing their growth...?"

Ego eyed Lance out. He was astonished.

"No way" The ex-Champion whispered. "Did you seriously... played the League for fools?!"

"And what of this Giovanni?" Oak asked. Ego recalled the gentle smile that Giovanni had given him right before he left, Athena's tears. Time... he needed time... he needed time to act... Such a public event... Police would haul his ass out of the League before he had time to throw Mew's PokéBall to that prick's face!

"It's clear as day... Harsher methods are in order!" Oak said.

When he said that, Ego had a flashback. The emptiness of his brain... it was clear, it was his brain trying to recall Oak's experimentation on him. He recalled, clear as day. The dark basement, how he broke down from pain, calling to his dad, calling to his mother, who he hadn't thought of since then, who had died when he was but a mere toddler. How his body grotesquely mutated from Mew, Mewtwo and Missingno's DNA before going back to normal. Ego gritted his teeth. His brain was empty no more, but he wanted to scream.

"We'll bring all these criminals to justice, dead or alive! And what else...? Tell me... How can we allow our Legendary Birds to roam freely throughout the region? What of the various Legendary beasts rumored to be hiding in the remote corners of our caves and islands? What if they should fall into criminal hands? What if they should run away" Oak asked. "We must dedicate all our resources to capturing them... Bring them under goverment control... For public safety and to preserve our cultural heritage!"

Oak stood before the cameras.

"Yes... Dear Kantonians... Lance has done us a great disservice, there's no question. So I believe... Only because I agree with Red's reasoning, of course... that nothing but the strictest punishment is in order! Lance should be brought in at once!" Oak then approached Red. "Do you agree with these motions, Red?"

Red didn't know what to say.

"Y..."

"STOP!!!" Someone shrieked.

Everyone turned around. Blaine... and Fuji!

"This meeting cannot be allowed to continue!" Blaine said. "Everyone, listen! Red cannot be Champion!"

"He's no real Pokémon Trainer! He's not even a human being!" Fuji claimed. "Just some creature... some laboratory experiment... Created by Oak to do his bidding!"

"It's all a sham! We have proof! Irrefutable proof!" Blaine claimed.

"...! Nonsense!" Oak said, looking at Red. "Look, you'll trigger the poor boy's anxiety with such aggresive, baseless accusations! I daresay he's been through enough emotional stress for one day..! I... He...! He's going to need a safe space to retreat to for the moment!"

"You fucker!" Ego whispered. "Taking advantage of mental health advances to hide your little homunculus!"

"Apologies" Oak said. "But we'll hear more from Champion Red at a later time"

They retired into the Hall of Fame.

"What's going on?! We demand an explanation!" Someone shouted.

"Let us into the Hall of Fame room!"

"Hear, hear!"

Then, something happened. The temperature around the room dropped drastically.

"Wait..." Agatha said. "Samuel... Is it true? That's what it was after all these years? Not cowardice... but cunning?! How could I have failed to see...?! The Kanto we wanted, we could have it again..."

Then she put herself in the way.

"Hold it!" She shouted. "You're not going anywhere, you puny peasants! This man... is someone you could never measure up to! He will create the perfect Kanto... A place for the strong to prosper! Don't you understand?! If you want to get in between... You get through me first!"

She then sent her Ghost-type Pokémon, who dropped the temperature a lot. Everyone was creeped out, paralyzed. Ego wasn't. He looked around. Ronnie was trembling like a little kid.

"O-o-oh, nooo... Ego...!" Ronnie cried out "Y-you've g-g-g-got that... Aaaahhh! That S-s-silph Scope, haven't youuuuhhh...???"

Ego put on the Silph Scope. It unveiled the Ghosts's identities! The one before him, it was a Gengar. The camera from the TV station was paralyzed by a Haunter. Another one was making Blue weep.

"G-g-grandmaaa! Please, stoooop! I want my mom! I want my daaaahd!" Blue wept.

Those cries triggered Ego's hidden protective instincts, who stood before Agatha.

"What are you doing?! Back off!" She shouted.

"I won't tolerate you in my way, old hag!" Ego shouted.

"This old hag has all the power in the world... that comes directly from the past!" Agatha said.

Agatha's team had a glaring weakness. They were all Ghost-Poison, so Mew made quick work of them and stole her Misdreavus for good measure. Agatha was terrified.

"M-mew?! How the fuck did you get a hold on Mew?!"

"(Quick! Time's running out!)" Mew said.

"Just know that Samuel won't take kindly to your interference" Agatha said. "If his old self really has returned... There's nothing he wouldn't do to keep enemies like you away"

"And there's nothing he can do to keep me away, I can assure you" Ego said.

The door was locked... but the crowbar handled the issue just fine. Red and Oak stood before him.

"Hello, Ego. Or dare I say... prototype?" Oak asked. "Oh, how you squirmed, as the DNA of those Pokémon interacted with your body"

"Cut the bullshit, Oak. I'm here to stop you" Ego said.

"I think you should know... You're one of just a handful of people in my life... to have exhausted my patience for a polite conversation, you know?" Oak asked, wisftul. "You... slimy little radical! I thought you'd be just another speck for Red to wipe away and forget about... But no! The special DNA I gave you still remained, allowing you to become a prodigy!"

"It wasn't because of your alterations, Blue's second best" Ego said.

"Second best?! Don't make me laugh! In a world where I had decided to agree with the Mewtwo Project completely, he would've been the best, but he's the third AT MOST!" Oak fumed. "Somehow, you've slipped through every single crack there was... through exactly the sequence of steps that could unravel everything I've worked for! All because your father begged me to not dispose of you!"

"Which is a mistake you shall regret" Ego said.

"It doesn't matter what any of you have seen. Red's as good a human as any. The region's legally bound to follow his command. And there's not a Trainer anywhere who can take his title from him, not even you!" Oak said. "I knew that, when I saw his pulse beat for the first time in my lab, that I held the key to complete, lasting power"

Red, at the side, was shaking. It was the first time he truly understood how sick his life was...

"Surrendering the war was just the next logical step" Oak explained. "I'll tell you this. It was the hardest thing I ever did, becoming Kanto's traitor. But it helped reinforce a lesson I had already begun to learn. About honor. You see... In war, people will fight to their dying breath. But in peace time... They'll forfeit without a second thought to any odd kid who can beat them in a Pokémon battle!"

He looked amused and crazed.

"All in name of this "honour"" He air-quoted, amused. "So it stands to reason... If you control the strongest Trainer... You can control the shape of history. See, I have no plans to be a chivalrous leader... Just a smart one. What do I care about my "legacy"? About living up to higher virtues? Where is the rational, scientific basis for believing in any of that? When I'm dead... none of it will matter"

Oak shook his head, standing besides Red.

"I've been surrounded all my life by these idiots, who fail to see... That there is only power and weakness... Pleasure and pain... Life and death... None of their precious values mean anything in the final analysis" Oak said. "That's why I can vent and prattle on to you about anything I like. Because the word of a lowly criminal means nothing to a person of any stature. If I faced you in a court of law, we both know who would win"

Oak continued.

"I do what I can... Pull the strings I have to pull... To further my own interests. I don't need any pompous ideals to fool myself into thinking I'm doing anything else" He then approached Red, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Yes... I've been there all along. In Red's adventure. Nudging him in the right direction. Whispering in his ear when he was about to make a mistake..."

He turned around.

"Nobody in their right mind should think a child should hold the power of a device like the Master Ball" Oak stated. "But when the opportunity presented itself to grab a copy... I couldn't possibly let him pass it by. Then, of course... I needed to make sure that none of the Mewtwo scientists would suddenly get curious about Red's origins. So I stepped in to keep them out of the way. If it wasn't for Bill, I would have scared them into submission with ease"

Ego kept on hearing him prattle.

"Now, it became clear to me when my aides called me about your little intrusion on my lab... That I hadn't insured myself against every contingency. That my little prototype would have the idea to rebel against the final product" Oak said.

"But it doesn't matter. All can still be well... These slip-ups can be rectified. If I stick to the plan and don't let my emotions get the better of me..." Oak then looked at the kid. "Red's quite the role model in that regard, isn't he? The very image of pure, cold-blooded rationality. He's very nearly human... Alike us in almost every way. He lacks only that emotional core. Morals and conscience. A reason. Some ultimate goal... to aim his innate aggression and his unconstrained intelligence at. It's lucky for him that I can provide exactly that.

Oak approached Ego.

"Doesn't it fascinate you, now that you know the truth?" Oak asked. "Who is Red, really? What's his personality? He could be anyone. He's only a puppet. Yes... a puppet to be controlled from a distance. That's his purpose in life"

Ego then laughed. First a chuckle, then a giggle, then a laugh. A profound, twisted, deranged laugh.

"Have I truly been afraid all this time from your little homunculus pet, Samuel?!" Ego asked, impressed. "You call him cold and calculated, but look at him, he's scared shitless because you're deranged!"

He then looked at a side.

"But you know what? I do agree with you. Honor? That's a load of bull. I wouldn't get away with half of what I do if people wouldn't just let me. Whoever controls the greatest Trainer controls the course of history, that is true too. All this time, I worked my ass off for one thing, and one thing only. The truth. You wrecked my body and my mind, leaving my heart to wonder why was I such a mess. But I know the truth now. And now, without truths to uncover, I have a new purpose. To uphold the trust that everyone put in me by beating you. Once I do that?" Ego asked. He thought to himself for a bit. "Power. I'll disband Team Rocket, just like I was asked to, but I'll rebuild it better than before! Because a Rose by any other name... it's still a Rocket!"

"That's enough talk!" Oak said. "I happen to know that Red gave you a beating somewhere at Mount Moon a long time ago. He's orders of magnitude stronger than any Trainer he has faced, and I can assure you... if you struggled to stand your own battling him back then... You don't stand a chance in hell against him now"

Oak smiled, smugly.

"But then your Pokémon seem to be the only defense you have. So, in the name of our culture's silly little ettiquete... Stand tall, prototype, and face your final version like a man!" Oak proclaimed.

Red looked at him.

"Prepare yourself, Ego" He said, unable to properly express any kind of emotion.

Ego faced Red. It was a battle of wits and strength, but Ego soon realized that... he was above Red. Although strong, Red hadn't caught any Legendaries, while Ego expertly wielded Mew and MissingNo. Oak was astonished when he saw both Pokémon, tamed by Ego. After beating Red, Ego stole Charizard from him, getting back at him for the defeat back at Mount Moon. Red's saddened face made him instantly regret it. Children were his weakness, it seemed.

"No... it's not possible...!" Oak said. "I wasn't prepared for... AGH! RED! YOU WORTHLESS IDIOT! I won't have... everything fall apart... not like this! Not from the prototype!"

He then pushed Red aside.

"Step away, kid! I'll handle this myself!" He said, fuming.

Then, Agatha intervened.

"Samuel!" She squealed like a schoolgirl. "Oh, I couldn't wait any longer...!"

Oak was genuinely puzzled. Ego was grossed out at her childish behaviour.

"Please, forgive me for letting the criminal inside..." Agatha approached him, as Ego stepped aside, confused. "Samuel, I'm... so sorry! I had you all wrong... I really thought, ten years ago... that you had became a coward"

Oak's visage became cold.

"It didn't seem right to me, I knew it didn't add up! I should have realized... that your strength, your vision... your commitment to being the most powerful leader in the world never left you. Truly... You were a man of honor all along, I should've never left your side! I haven't known how to feel about you for so long... I loved you for who you were... and hated you for what I thought you had done to us... But now that I've seen the truth, I've realized..." Agatha approached Oak. "My love for you has never wavered for a second all these years! I just didn't understand my own feelings... not until now! Oh, Samuel... let us build the Kanto we dreamed of together... everything can be just as it was!"

Oak was speechless.

"You... How... dare you?!" He screamed. "You throw me away in disgust when I'm at my lowest and weakest... then come back begging at my feet right as I return to power. Oh, you're a woman through and through, Agatha!"

"Hey! Being a misogynist is shameful and pisses me off!" Ego shouted. Oak ignored him.

"And then to speak to me now in lofty terms about "love" and "honour"..." Oak said. "You disgust me. You've had your chances. Don't you deny it. And you've shown me now... Beyond a shadow of a doubt... Just how deep your loyalty runs"

His voice had became a dangerous whisper. Ego recalled back to the experimentation.

"No...!" He gasped.

"Here" Oak whispered dangerously. "I'll show you what I think about your fucking honour"

"Samuel, what are you...?!" Agatha asked.

"Go, Tauros! Use Giga Impact against her!" Oak shouted.

Tauros rammed himself at full strength about Agatha, the impact turning her body limp as it ragdolled against the wall, to Red and Ego's terrified surprise.

"AGATHA!!!" Ego screamed.

Red just squealed in horror, as Oak put Tauros back on the PokéBall.

"Well?! What are you staring at, Ego?! I believe we have some unfinished business!" Oak said.

Ego prepared himself to face Oak.

"It's always the same damn thing! Immaculate plans sabotaged by the whims of mediocre people...!" Oak was crashing out. "It's a truism, isn't it?! To get anything done you have to do it yourself! Now let's see how best to deal with a flawed prototype like you!"

Then, Bill interfered.

"Jesus! Never mind those ghosts anymore... Looks like we missed out on the real action!" He said, staring at Agatha's corpse. Ronnie entered the room too. "What a carnage... I never liked that lady much, but she must have really pinched a nerve to deserve that treatment. And without any healthy Pokémon left to defend herself..."

Bill then looked at Ego.

"Here. Let us not make the same mistake" And he healed them up. "Thank me later"

Then, Bill approached Oak.

"I see how it is! Ego defeated your little robot boy! Ha! Now there's a development!" He then stared at Red, mockingly. "I wonder what went wrong in designing him, old man? I mean, he's the spitting image of an insurmountable muscle man, is he?"

"You stay out of this, Bill! Red is still your Champion, and won't take kindly to your insults!" Oak shouted.

"Give it up already" Bill said. "Ego has already proven himself the strongest Trainer. He could take on the League the proper way and become Champion anytime he likes!"

"You simpleton... Mind your tongue!" Oak ordered. "Need I remind you...?! That unlike Lance, Blue and Red, I am undefeated in battle?! And I have not been idle for the past ten years"

He stepped back.

"I kept my Pokémon in shape so I could stand my own against Red as his final challenge... But it seems there's no need for that anymore" He looked at Ego. "Ego Yoshimura! I'd have liked to see you rot in jail, but now I think I'd rather deal out your punishment myself. I'm already beyond the law, so we're in an even playing field at last!"

Oak then approached him.

"Mark my words. I won't fight you out of dignity... I will ruin your defenses and leave you like the old hag on the floor. Look around you and take it in, Ego" Oak said. "No one else has the faintest chance of saving you... You're on your own!"

Oak versus Ego, the final battle was about to begin. Oak's style was methodical and strategic, but Ego used his Pokémon really well... even his Pikachu collaborated, to Oak's surprise. A final Aeroblast from MissingNo defeated Oak's Venusaur, giving Ego the victory. He managed to steal Venusaur from Oak's hands, making him startle.

"Venu... I... you... what?!" Oak shouted.

"Alright, hold it! This is the end of the road for you, Oak!" Lance said. "You didn't really think you could keep us out forever, did you? You stand accused of goverment conspiracy, professor. Of violating your ban on Pokémon battling... and I bet you're not innocent on what has happened to Agatha!"

Ego stepped aside. Lance looked at Red.

"As for Red... and the claims that he's not human... He will be subject to medical examination so we can confirm. You're a fool, Oak" Lance said. "Did you really think you could snatch back control of this place with your intellectual schemes? In case you've forgotten... In the real world, we earn our power through sweat and blood. Slimy geeks are only ever Pokémon Masters in their dreams. Grab him!"

Oak stepped back, afraid.

"Step back! You don't know what you're talking about! And you will not go against your Champion's wishes...!" He threatened. "Red, quickly! Your Pokémon! Send them out! I need their protection!"

Red sent his Pikachu, Snorlax and Alakazam to hold them back, as Oak approached the Hall of Fame's machine.

"Hahahah! I know how to operate this machine, you idiots! I'll put my name in as the new Champion, and rule the region from this room! I can do a lot of damage before you get me out, believe me...!" He said, starting to manipulate the machine.

"Damn it, Ego!" Bill shouted. "Are you healthy enough to fight Red's Pokémon again? He only has five, but what five...!"

"If only we could reach that computer...!" Ego said. Then, an idea occured to him. "Of course! Go, MissingNo!"

"SSSSSSAAAAHHH!!!" MissingNo hissed.

"Mess with that machine!" Ego said.

"(Alright, friend!)" MissingNo said in Ego's heart, messing with the Hall of Fame.

"No... MissingNo...?! The computer... no... NOOOO!!!" Oak shouted.

The police took Oak and Red away. And then Lance pointed the cops at Ego.

"That man, Mohammed Smith...! He's a Rocket! I'd daresay that he's the leader! Go get him!"

Ego was promptly detained by the police.

"What?! No! He saved the world just now!" Ronnie shouted.

"He's a criminal" Lance said.

(...)

Under the name of Mohammed Smith, due to no one caring enough to check the truth about his identity, Ego was charged with many charges of Pokémon robbery, assault, theft of bikes, involvement in proxenetism, selling of narcotics and prohibited substances, battery, refusal of help... The list was endless. At the end, Ego was put in prision under bail... the silver lining being that it was under the identity of Mohammed Smith.

Oak? Wasn't charged. His diary was nowhere to be found, no one testified against him.

Red was discharged from his position, as they found that he was not a human. Blue refused to take it, so Lance became Champion once more.

"What will happen to Red now?" Red's mother asked, afraid.

"It will have his Pokémon taken from him" The judge said. "Having such powerful Pokémon and such a lack of humanity... we can't trust him with those"

The guards grabbed Red as they took his PokéBalls. The kid freaked out when he had them taken, screaming, kicking, seething. He was having a full-blown meltdown in front of everyone in the trial. The poor puppet champion, brought to real, human tears. Proof that Oak's experiments weren't absolute, and that he wasn't able to create a fully inhuman person.

"NOOO!!! PIKACHUU!!! DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY!!! PIKACHUUUU!!! UUUAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"Take it away!" The judge shouted. "I can't stand that thing's screams!"

Himeko and Ego both saw from their positions how they dragged Red out like he was trash. Like the poor kid, mistreated by Oak for so long, had been nothing but a thing. The screams were sheared into their consciousnesses, they would haunt them every time they closed their eyes. Himeko looked at Ego, both terrified, saddened and traumatized by the scene. She bid Ego goodbye as he was taken to jail.

(...)

A while later, Bill and Professor Elm had called Himeko into Elm's lab.

"Remember Oak's little experiment?" Bill asked. "We want to do it here on Johto this time. It'll be a girl, she'll look eleven in three years time. To be absolutely equal to a human, she'll have her emotional intelligence intact, but her combat prowess heightened, just like Ego. For obedience, she'll have her emotions stripped from her"

"And what do you want me to do?" Himeko asked, concerned.

"We want you to be the girl's mother, to give her a backstory" Elm said. "You can do it, right, Hime-girl?"

Himeko looked at Elm. Hearing Red's screams in the back of her mind, she decided that he wasn't her friend anymore.

"Of course, Elm-boy" She smiled, lying so expertly.

She could only trust Ego, but he was in jail. She decided to ask someone for help. Someone she could trust.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

“OI, MOHAMMED! You’ve got a visitor!” A policeman said.

Ego got up. He was unshaved, and his hair was all over the place. He looked at the door of his jail. The policeman opened the door.

“You’ve been bailed out. Now, get out!” The policeman said.

“Hello… Mohammed” It was Shigeki, whose lips curved on a smile. “Let’s get out of here”

Outside the jail, Shigeki filled him in: Team Rocket had banded once more without Ego at the helm, waiting for Giovanni to return. The one to bail him in was Himeko… Well, she asked Shigeki to do that.

“She wants you to see her in her hometown of New Bark Town… in three years or so” Shigeki said.

“What do I do now?” Ego asked.

“Well, the one put in jail was Mohammed Smith, the Boss of Team Rocket. You’re Ego Yoshimura, the son of disgraced nobleman Aced Yoshimura. You can do anything you want. The clear disregard of the authority for your sense of self has given you a clean slate”

Ego nodded.

“Thanks, Shigeki. I think I know where I need to go” Ego said.

As a free man, Ego reorganized his team. He decided to get Pikachu, Vaporeon and Aerodactyl out of the team. He picked up the Dragonite he had stolen from Lance and the Charizard he had stolen from Red. He taught Dragonite both Surf and Fly and used it to reach Cerulean City.

He went inside Cerulean Cave to meet Mewtwo.

“What do you desire now, Ego?” Mewtwo asked.

“I wish for power” Ego said, simply. His time in jail had made him rethink a lot of things. “I don’t pretend to have a higher purpose. I just do what I want just because I want it”

“I’ve lived for a long time in this cave, Ego… I feel it’s finally time I laid down my guard… and let a worthy Trainer catch me. Try to catch me, if you can!” Mewtwo shouted.

Ego put up a good fight, even when Mew fainted due to Mewtwo’s sheer might. He used the same type of PokéBall as Mew to catch him! A Timer Ball! He waited a long time, used it and… gotcha!

Mewtwo stood by Ego’s side afterwards.

“I will fight by your side, Ego… do you wish to see what Bill is planning?” Mewtwo asked.

Ego nodded. Mewtwo showed him about his new homunculus project. How Himeko was involved in it. In three years time… exactly when Himeko wanted Ego to visit.

“Himeko wants me to wreck his plans” Ego said.

“Aham. Whatever you say” Mewtwo said, unable to trust the goodness out of anyone.

Ego decided to go to Lavender Town to pay his respects to the Pokémon there. MissingNo's glitched body reacted to the ghostly energy on the Tower, to Ego's surprise... changing into a ghostly form which resembled Mew.

"SHHHAAAA!!!" MissingNo shouted, as his voice was heard on Ego's heart. "(Master...! My shape's changing... but I'm okay!)"

"If you're okay, then that's great" Ego nodded.

Ego looked at his body. Remembered the weird attitude it had when MissingNo attacked.

“I can morph my body however I want, right? Due to your DNA” Ego said.

“You have an assortment of hidden powers you should want to uncover, yes” Mewtwo said.

“Then come with me. In three years time, I’ll return… with a vengeance” Ego said, oddly reminiscent of Professor Oak.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Three years had passed after Ego had been bailed out from jail. Himeko had spent the last year caring for the homunculus made by Elm and Bill, whom Himeko had named Lyra. Lyra had always been a Pokémon battle prodigy, and connected just fine with Pokémon, although she always behaved... off. Elm assured Himeko that it was because of the conditioning, using Psychic Pokémon to brainwash her into cold, calculating obedience.

Lyra had just gone to her own adventure through Johto, encouraged by Elm. Using their PokéGears, Himeko could always contact her, but she was afraid... Afraid of what would happen.

Then, someone knocked on the door. Weird, locals there in New Bark always used the bell. Himeko's family, the Kinshi family, had one of the biggest houses in town, although Himeko and Lyra were the only inhabitants. Himeko's female Houndoom perked up when hearing the knock, together with her Skarmory.

"Houn! Houn!" Houndoom barked.

"OK, OK, I'm opening the door" Himeko said, as she opened the door. "How can I...?"

The sunlight from the doorway was blocked as a tall, wide pressence loomed over her. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscular but with a plump stomach instead of a six pack, magenta pink hair well-combed, a huge, manly magenta pink beard and intense magenta eyes which looked at her, wearing a black suit with a white chemise under the jacket, adorned with a pink R in a branded shield.

"I haven't thanked you for bailing me out" His voice was unmistakeable.

"Ego!!!" Himeko shouted, hugging the man. "Wow! You have worked out a lot in the past 3 years! And got a lot of hair, too"

"Had a little bit of help" Ego said.

"Steroids?" Himeko asked.

"Nope. Genetics" Ego said, as he inflated his muscles for a few seconds. "Turns out, due to the genetic make-up that Oak cursed me with, I can Transform like Mew can, but unlike them, I can set my base form to whatever I like"

"So you didn't actually work out, you just shape-shifted! Cheater!" Himeko laughed. "But you do look different. And I'm not talking about the new style, or the new muscles"

"I've been thinking. A lot. Both in jail and out. Did you know that I've improved Mewtwo's powers and my connection to the three Legendaries? I can now basically read minds!" Ego said.

"Can you?" Himeko asked, surprised.

"Yep. I've been building a repertoire. Connections, with both the Kantonian criminal world and the Johtonian criminal world" Ego said. "Thanks to Mew, we've had a few prophecies. Your daughter will beat up Archer and dismantle Neo Team Rocket. But, as I said to Oak, a Rose by any other name... is still a Rocket"

"What a cool catchphrase" Himeko laughed. "So? Show me your team?"

"Inside?" Ego asked.

"I trust your Pokémon to not mess my house" Himeko smiled.

Ego threw out his PokéBalls: Mew, MissingNo, Mewtwo, Porygon2, Dragonite and Charizard. Himeko whistled, as she saw MissingNo's new ghostly form.

"Did MissingNo change types or something?" She asked.

"Nope. Just forms" Ego smiled.

MissingNo reclined itself against Ego, cuddly.

"Shaaaa!" They hissed.

"Awww! I love you too, bud!" Ego smiled.

Himeko prepared tea for the two of them, and some Pokémon-friendly pastries. Ego ate them with energy, and gave some more to his Pokémon. Himeko smiled, to then look away.

"Look, I talked Shigeki into bailing you out for a reason" Himeko started. "Professor Elm, Bill... they wanted to try Oak's schemes for themselves. They asked me to mother their homunculus, and I realized that... I couldn't trust Elm. After the trial, I had cried myself to sleep with him at the phone, explaining him how Red's cries had hurted me so... And then... he wanted to potentially subject a new being to that harsh situation... and wanted me to help him. I accepted, of course, but I knew that he couldn't be my friend anymore"

Ego grabbed Himeko's hand, understanding.

"Do you want me to take care of him?" He asked.

"What?!" Himeko shouted.

"I can use Mewtwo's power to brainwash him into being an upstanding guy and an actually good father figure to Lyra... and the good friend you wanted out of him" Ego said. "Right, Mewtwo?"

"You're just doing it because seeing Himeko pout disgusts you" Mewtwo huffed.

"Well, yeah. I do what I want, and I want to help Himeko. Is that so bad?" Ego reasoned.

"I guess not. One thing I've learnt with you is that self-interest and willingness to help are not contradictory" Mewtwo reasoned.

"Well?" Ego asked, looking at Himeko.

"Could you... help Lyra too? She has been conditioned via psychic powers to be emotionless... but she's a good girl underneath that!" Himeko said.

"Trust me, I'll help you... but you have to let me take advantage of it" Ego said. "For her to dismantle Neo Team Rocket so I can rebuild it without opposition"

Himeko then looked at him.

"Alright. Then it's a deal" She said. "In exchange for me letting you take advantage of my daughter's brainwashing, you will treat me to a date"

"In what universe is that a fair exchange?" Ego asked, weirded out.

"We're both thirty, single, and my daughter needs a dad" Himeko said. "Are you in or not?"

"Baby... I'm in" Ego winked at her, flirty.

So, he remained at New Bark, knowing Himeko better. He learnt that she was doing freelance work of programming overseas and that she was also in cahoots with the archaeological team of the Alpha Ruins. She had also something very peculiar.

"A Dubious Disc!" She said. "I've worked on the kinks of the Disc, letting Porygon-Z exploit all of its power with minimal mental instability and no physical pain from the physical instability"

"I'll... pass on evolving Porygon2, just for now" Ego smiled.

"Your loss" Himeko said.

A few weeks later, he heard something from the Radio: Team Rocket, taking over the station at Goldenrod City. Ego pulled out Dragonite from the PokéBall, mounting him as a PokéRide.

"Using Dragonite as a PokéRide, I'll be able to bypass the rule of only being able to Fly to known places" Ego said, looking at Himeko. "Don't worry, you'll have your daughter nice and healthy"

Cherrygrove, Violet... Ego took the fastest path to Goldenrod, even getting through the National Park. Some Rocket grunts tried to stop him.

"Stay where you are, weird guy!" He shouted.

"Weird guy?" Ego asked, as he took Mew out of their PokéBall. "Men, I am the rightful heir of Giovanni's Team Rocket. If you don't step aside, I'll make you"

"Y-you don't scare us!" One of the grunts said.

"Funny how that happens. Then you'll find out what happens to those who challenge me... braver than most" Ego said. "Mew, put them to sleep"

Mew put them to sleep, as they used their psychic powers to put the men on the floor gracefully.

"(Why didn't you challenge them to a Pokémon battle?)" Mew asked.

"I want them as my grunts after this" Ego explained, as he put Dragonite on his PokéBall.

He came into the building of the radio station. No one could stop him, as Lyra had already taken care of them. When he met Proton, he looked surprised.

"E-ego?!" Proton asked. "What are you doing here?! After three years!"

"I'm just watching the mess you made collapse under your feet" Ego said.

He found Ariana... guarding the Observatory. She stepped aside when she saw Ego.

"It was... my idea... and Archer's" She said, shameful. "Giovanni's not gonna come, is he?"

Ego smiled, gentle.

"You still have me" Ego said.

"You don't care about the pre-war Kanto" Ariana refuted.

"I don't. But you might just give up and give this a rest" Ego said. "We should focus on controlling the criminal underground, centralize the damage and violence on us. Monopoly of illegality to curb the worst effects"

Ariana nodded. Ego stepped into the elevator, and saw Archer calling off the operation, as Lyra stood before him, victorious, with her Typhlosion at her side. Long-hair put in twintails under a white hat, crimson red undershirt with a blue dress with overalls over it. Her sight was as vacant as Red's. Archer found Ego on the way out the facility. The Rocket Executive nodded, shamefully, as he walked past Ego, fully accepting Ego's rule.

Ego waited as the President of the Radio gifted Lyra a Rainbow Feather... and faced Lyra as she went to the elevator.

"Are you a Rocket?" She asked, eyes vacant, emotionless. "Get out of my way"

"Why are you obeying Elm and Bill's designs" Ego said.

"Elm and Bill's designs are law" Lyra said, emotionless. "Get out of my way, or else we'll battle"

"Mewtwo" Ego pulled the PokéBall out of his pocket. "You know what to do"

Aided by Ego, Mewtwo inserted itself into Lyra's mind, rewriting the conditioning imposed by Elm and Bill. She screamed, clutching her head... and fell to the floor, unconscious. Typhlosion freaked out.

"TY...!!!" He prepared himself to attack.

"Hipnosis" Ego ordered.

Typhlosion was put to sleep.

"Happy rebirth day, Lyra" Ego muttered.

(...)

Lyra woke up on her bed, startled. Typhlosion was at her bedside, happy to see her wake up. A lot of new, confusing emotions were assaulting Lyra's brain.

"Welcome home, Lyra" Himeko, Lyra's mom, smiled, along with the Rocket man. "I made you some cupcakes"

Lyra ate automatically. The flavour was... delicious. She devoured the cupcakes, surprised. She didn't know that food felt so... good!

"What... have you done to me, Mr Rocket?" Lyra asked at the man, terrified.

"I'm Ego. I'm Himeko's... uh... good friend" Ego said, slightly uncomfortable. "I fixed your brain. Elm and Bill wrecked it when you were very little, and your mom asked me to fix it"

"Their designs... I had assumed they were law, but now... they don't seem so... ultimate" Lyra said. "Why did you help me?"

Ego sat down, gentle.

"A great enemy of mine told me that whoever controlled the greatest Trainer controlled history. Elm and Bill used that philosophy to make you their puppet. But I want to... have a partnership with you, if you want. My purpose is to channel all criminal activity in both Johto and Kanto to curb the damage and rise the benefits. If you manage to become Champion, we can both coordinate actions to achieve that purpose" Ego said. "What do you say? Do you want to be my... partner in crime, as they say?"

Lyra sighed.

"I want to. Because you have given me... stuff that I didn't know I was missing" Lyra got up, feeling excited for the first time. "Come on, Typhlosion! We gotta go to Blackthorn City to get that last Badge!"

"Ty, ty!" Typhlosion smiled, happy for Lyra.

"First let's have some ramen, before you go!" Himeko offered.

Lyra accepted, having lunch with both Himeko and Ego. Afterwards, she hugged her mom goodbye and hugged Ego goodbye as well.

"Bye, mom, bye, dad!" She smiled, as she left with Typhlosion.

Ego was struck: Dad?! He looked at Himeko, who giggled.

"You're a dad now" She gleefully smiled.

He was a dad now, he thought to himself.

Oh, well. He liked that very much.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Ego had bought the Game Corner at Celadon three years beforehand. It wasn't hard: After Giovanni left it had gone through hard times. Ego had invested on it, putting a nearby building — An Arcade for children to play merrily and get tickets they could exchange for the same prizes as the gamblers on the Casino.

He had used his underground connections to keep the HQ at both Celadon and Cerulean functional. Viridian's Gym had became Blue's Gym, so those HQ were unsalvageable. Luckily, Neo Team Rocket had been smart enough to allocate all Rocket resources elsewhere, leaving Blue a clean Gym to work from.

And there he was, at the Boss's Office, sitting on Giovanni's confidant, now his. Ego looked at his Executives and Admins. Archer and Ariana were looking around, nervous. Petrel and Proton were still, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Well, it seems like that plan of yours to get Giovanni back was a dud" Ego stated. "Did you lose the headquarters at Mahogany back on Johto?"

"No" Ariana said. "After we were kicked out from there, Lance didn't bother on seizing the shop"

"Dumbass" Ego said. "OK. You've known me as Giovanni and Bill's puppet far too long. I'm the Boss here. I dismantled Team Rocket, just like Giovanni asked me, but I'm going to build something out of the formerly reanimated corpse you jackasses left. If you have any grunts left, I propose something: I have connections to almost all gangs in both Kanto and Johto... and I'm a father figure to a promising Champion in the making"

Everyone in the office perked up.

"Here's the deal" Ego progressed. "You all join my new organization. You get to keep the hierarchy you had going on, but I'm above everyone else. Y'all be under my command. I won't tolerate insubordination nor shameful behaviour"

"What's... this new team's statement?" Ariana asked.

"Maximize benefit, curb the damage" Ego said. "I won't tolerate any 'Ronnies'. Any grunt who joins Team Rose Rocket will have it very clear: I won't tolerate any of you needlessly harming citizens because you have something to prove. You can be evil all you like, but you gotta be noble and smart about it"

Ego then got up.

"I will get Blaine, Koga and Surge working alongside me. I helped them out, they owe me" Ego said. "I'll even give them back their Pokémon if need be, I'm not above haggling to get what I want"

He stared at Archer and Ariana.

"If you ever feel like you would rather follow Giovanni, or that you're unhappy that I'm thinking about Kanto and Johto as a unified nation and operating accordingly, the door's right there" Ego said, to then lower his voice, softly. "You were loyal to Giovanni all this time. I understand if you don't want to follow me as I disregard his purpose in order to follow my own. Ariana, you have a son. If you want to retire in order to care for the boy, I won't blame you. I'll get you a house, wherever you like, and orders for your safety. You've earnt it. Archer, the same goes for you"

Archer and Ariana looked at each other, conflicted.

"You don't have to decide right now" Ego said. "You can follow along to see how us, Rose Rockets, develop. If you're unhappy, say the word and you'll retire"

They agreed to stay for the moment. Petrel then coughed.

"H-how about us?" Petrel asked. "Proton and I... haven't we earnt that choice?"

Ego ran towards Petrel, staring at him, eyes glinting as he cornered him.

"You will get the choice when you prove yourself" Ego whispered.

Petrel whined, afraid, but complied. Ego stepped aside, satisfied.

"Alright" Ego said, sitting on the confidant. "Tell the grunts these terms we'll be working on from now on. Tell them that if they wanna quit while they're ahead, I'll give them 78 hours. That's mercy, I think. After all... a Rose by any name... is still a Rocket. You're all dismissed"

They all nodded and exited the office. Alone, Ego rummaged from his Bag, all alone. He found the Rocket Pager. One of the gifts from Giovanni. He put it in his desk as he pulled out the Pager used to call everyone else. It even had colour-coded buttons. Aquamarine for Archer, Crimson for Ariana, Purple for Petrel, Green for Proton... and Magenta for Ego. He pressed the Magenta button, making his old Pager beep on the desk.

Then, he had a flashback. Ever since Ego got his full memory back, he had had flashbacks from the time he had been experimented on. It began in jail. He had started using his shapeshifting powers as a sort of therapy — To reclaim the experiences as a beneficial thing. Did it work? Mostly. Now he had random anxiety flashes when his mind was on ease. He tensed his whole body, his fists pushing against the wood of the table. He gritted his teeth, as the flashback passed. He sighed, tired. Then, he pulled out his PokéGear, to call Himeko.

"Ego?" She asked. "I thought you were busy on your business?"

"I have free time, Himeko" Ego said. "Do you want to, perhaps, do something? Go on a date?"

"Oh, Ego...! That would be wonderful!" Himeko said. "How about we do it on New Bark? We can have a picnic"

"That'll be nice" Ego said. "See you there"

He hung up and brought Mewtwo out of the PokéBall.

"Please...?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, stand still" Mewtwo said, teleporting them both to New Bark Town. "Here we are"

"Come back to the PokéBall" Ego asked, as Mewtwo complied.

Himeko was waiting for him under a tree, with the picnic already set up. Ego smiled at her as they sat down.

"We look like a pair of Luvdiscs" Himeko said, smiling.

"Oh, do we?" Ego asked, as he smiled at her as well. "How's Lyra doing?"

"She's recently caught Ho-oh" Himeko said, to then look at Ego accusatory. "Elm gave her a Master Ball to do that. You haven't made him a good guy yet"

"Ah, forgive me. Let me correct my mistake" Ego said.

The Lab's door was unlocked. Elm and Bill were debating something, with no aides at sight.

"Huh?! Ego?!" Bill asked. "What are you doing here?! You should be in jail"

"Shigeki and Himeko bailed me out" Ego took Mewtwo out of their PokéBall, to Bill's surprise.

"What the FUCK?! MEWTWO?!" Bill shouted. "What...?! Why...?!"

"Mewtwo, please, take care of Elm" Ego said.

"As you wish. I'll make him harmless and as gentle and good as he can be to Lyra and Himeko" Mewtwo said, as he entered Elm's mind.

"What...?! Brainwashing?!" Bill shouted.

Ego grabbed Bill by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"I'm TIRED of being your puppet. I'm no longer anyone's puppet. I took care of Lyra's conditioning. She's as human as anyone can be now" Ego snarled. "You listen to me, and listen well. You will work for me. You will make Porygons for my Casino. You hear?! Or else, I won't hesitate on killing you"

"I... But... We worked together on saving Kanto..." Bill said. "Thanks to me, you... you caught MissingNo! You wouldn't be anywhere if it wasn't for ME!"

"And that's why I'm not snapping your neck where we stand!" Ego snarled. "I won't give you time to even take out your PokéBall"

He let Bill go. Bill stepped back, afraid.

"I... I won't use any more kids... I will drop the idea to conquer everything" Bill stammered. "It was... a stupid idea anyway, so... yeah, yeah. I'll... I'll work for you, I'll make you Porygons for the Casino"

Bill left, scared shitless of Ego. Elm was succesfully brainwashed, and Mewtwo kept him unconscious.

"Let's go. Elm has a secret lab under here. I stole all the info. We should tell Himeko before we raid it" Mewtwo said.

Ego put him back on the PokéBall and went back to the picnic with Himeko. She took a look at him.

"Your suit is all disheveled. Have you gotten physical with someone?" Himeko asked.

"Had to threaten Bill to not use Lyra anymore" Ego said, straightening his collar. "He won't do anything like that anymore. After we're done, we'll raid Elm's secret lab"

"Of course he had a secret lab" Himeko rolled her eyes, to then look at Ego. "You know that you look far sexier now? All rugged and older..."

"Aw, thanks! Gave myself this look just for you" Ego flirted with her too, winking at her. Himeko blushed.

(...)

Lyra had just gone through Victory Road. It was empty, devoid of Trainers. Then, Silver stopped her.

"Hey!" He shouted, angrily. "You're the only Trainer who has gone this far..."

"Hello, Silver" Lyra said, smiling gently.

"I don't get you. I can't get you!" Silver said. "You're so cold, and calculating... yet you love your Pokémon and treat them all fuzzy-like! And you just keep winning! Why?!"

Lyra thought it to herself.

"I... wasn't myself. For most of my life. I was a puppet to cater the whims of other people. I might still be, I guess" Lyra said, softly. "The only thing that's been mine is my love for my Pokémon"

Silver scoffed.

"Please... I'm not... I'm not good at speaking my mind" Lyra said. "Let's talk with a Pokémon battle! That way, you'll know my feelings!"

Silver battled in a frustrated, commanding way, while Lyra was calculating, but soft. She started raising her voice as passion overtook her, an excited squeal for every order. At the end she won, but she had shown a simple, irreversible truth: She was battling because she had fun with her friends. Silver was taken aback at that.

"I..." He said. "I should go. You're the best out of the both of us, Lyra"

He left. Lyra prepared herself for the Pokémon League challenge.

(...)

Ego and Himeko saw on TV the news of Lyra's victory on the Pokémon League. They saw Oak accompanying her to the Hall of Fame, and freaked out. Ego asked Mewtwo to teleport both of them to the Pokémon League. Ego complied. They approached the guard guarding the Challenge.

"I am the new Champion's mother!" Himeko shouted. "And I demand to see her!"

"I'm... I'm the Champion's stepdad!" Ego lied to get access to the Champion room.

In three years, the rooms had been remodelated. They had arrived before the press, just as Lyra and Oak came out, Lyra being registered on the Hall of Fame. Himeko hugged her.

"Are you alright, dear? Did Oak do anything to you?" Himeko asked, as she looked to Oak, her eyes shooting daggers.

"No, I'm okay, mom. Oak's a nice guy" Lyra smiled, happy and excited, as Typhlosion confirmed.

Ego looked at Oak, who sighed.

"You really want to talk. Do you, Ego?" Oak asked. "Let's go over there"

Sitting on a wall, as eyes were kept on Lyra as the Champion and Himeko as her guardian, Ego and Oak looked at each other.

"I don't know if I still agree with everything I told you back in that room, three years ago" Oak said. "During these three years, away from my only living family, I thought... was it truly worth it? Creating Red? Making him suffer? Neglecting my own grandson? Killing my ex-wife? Was it all worth it?"

"No, it wasn't" Ego said. "You abused Red. You neglected Blue. You modified my DNA"

"Look, if you're looking for an apology, I'm not one to give them" Oak said, holding a lollipop on his mouth. Ego looked at him, surprised. "Oh, this? A nicotine lollipop. Couldn't smoke on the lab for over 10 years, had to get my fix somehow. I'm slowly substituting the nicotine for sugar, trying to quit"

"I'll just go with the sugar" Ego said. "Less harmful"

"Really? Aren't you the healthy guy?" Oak got up. "Well, I'm not going to conquer the world anymore. I'm just going to support the little homunculus here without any kind of ulterior motive"

Ego's eyes widened, surprised.

"You know she's a homunculus?! How?!" He said, trying to whisper.

"Please... The best human Trainer in the region is my grandson Blue. Everyone higher than that: Red, Lyra, you... were genetically engineered to have a talent at Pokémon battling" Oak said. "Blue is a peak human Trainer, and he's my grandson"

He had such pride on his voice... Ego's lowered an octave, soft.

"He would love to hear that" The man said.

"Nah. He needs to grow up if he wants an atta boy from me" Oak smiled. "Well, smell ya later!"

And he laughed as he stole Blue's catchphrase. Ego scoffed, amused.

"Fuck you, old man..." He said, feeling a cavalcade of emotions.

Lyra was smiling as she got her photo taken. Then, she looked around and saw Ego.

"Dad! I won!" Lyra said, running to hug Ego.

"Wait, dad?!" Ego shouted, surprised, as the cameras were on him. He looked at them, as he hugged Lyra back. "Good job, kiddo"

Lyra giggled.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

Ego's POV

Ego was sitting on his confidant at the Celadon Base. Mewtwo was meditating on the side, and Porygon2, Mew and MissingNo were on his lap, asking for cuddles and sort of fighting each other for such cuddles. Ego's hands were on the computer, thankfully not being screwed up by MissingNo in that very moment.

He was doing administrative paper work, the worst kind of work. His hands dreaded clicking on the next key because being a boss was fucking boring! He also had to manage the Casino, and the real estate he had promised Ariadna and Archer, and the salaries of his goons...

"You pay your Rose Rockets?" Himeko had asked as Ego vented to her one day. "A salary?"

"I mean, it's not like they get to keep most of what they steal, nor win most of their battles" Ego had said. "And I sure as hell won't pay the bills to feed and house all of them"

As he remembered that, someone knocked on the door to his office.

"Boss?" Petrel asked. "It's to, uh, report the operation on the Tohjo Falls"

The Tohjo Falls had a population of Slowpokes. They had made a Slowpoke farm on their Cerulean HQ, so they caught Slowpokes on the Tohjo Falls to keep a supply of them.

"And what of it?" Ego asked.

"People on Mahogany Town are making a petition for the Champion to kick us out of there" Petrel said. "We have enough Slowpokes to breed them ourselves without fearing any instability due to incest, but I was thinking... I don't want my butt kicked by that kid again!"

"Unfortunately, we need to give the image of being weaker than the Champion for society to be harmonious, so..." Ego looked at Petrel. "You need to get your ass kicked"

Petrel whined, but didn't contest that. Ego had made him aware of the need for Lyra to look in control. That's why they had stopped their worst business, the Marowak and Cubone skulls selling.

"Can I go?" Petrel asked. "I need to go look out for the grunts"

Ego nodded. Petrel went away. He sighed. He then called Lyra.

"Yes, dad?" She said as she answered the phone.

"Lyra, I—" Ego sighed. "I'm not dating your mother, and even if I was, you're not obligated to call me dad"

"Oh, uh, I call you dad because Professor Elm told me that to make me they fertilized mom's egg with your DNA samples" Lyra stated.

Ego looked at Mewtwo, eyes widened.

"He wasn't supposed to remember that!" He whispered.

"I merely took away his aggression and ambition, not his memories. If you wanted to take away his memories, you should've told me" Mewtwo crossed his arms, dignified.

"I was in the middle of threatening Bill!" Ego whispered. Then he paid attention to the phone. "Lyra, dear, genetics don't make up the full story of parenting, it's who shows up!"

"But you showed up" Lyra said. "You let me experience the full spectrum of human emotion even after I had been conditioned not to. But anyways, what did you want from me, dad?"

"Can you, uh, go soft on Team Rose Rocket when you dismantle the Tohjo Falls operation? Aren't you training some Pokémon or something to renew your team? Take that as an opportunity to train! Instead of, uh, chucking your Typhlosion to the nearest grunt and Flamethrower them into oblivion" Ego said.

"OK! But in exchange I want us to battle!" Lyra said, happily.

"Is that so?" Ego asked. "I'll see if I have that on my schedule"

"Teehee! OK, see ya, dad!" And Lyra hung up.

Ego sighed. He couldn't help but smile at the kid's ingenuity. Porygon2 and MissingNo were fighting for his cuddles, while Mew curled up on his neck.

"Come on, guys! I have plenty of love for you!" Ego shushed them, happily.

"Pory! Ry!" Porygon2 said, happily.

"SSSHHHHA!" MissingNo hissed, happy as well.

(...)

Lyra's POV

When Lyra hung up, she waltzed into the Tohjo Falls. She took out her camping tent to have a little camping session with her Pokémon.

"Go, guys!" Lyra said, as she took out her PokéBalls.

"Ty, ty!" Typhlosion cheered her on.

"Togekiss!" The Togekiss that Lyra had raised since it was an Egg saluted her, graceful.

"Shuckle!" The Shuckle that Klaus, the PokéCollector, had given Lyra saluted her. She wanted to bring him back, but Shuckle loved her more and Klaus let her keep him.

"Dragonite!" The Dragonite that was gifted to her by the Patriarch of the Dragon Clan when he was a Dratini greeted her.

"Ho-oh!" The legendary Ho-oh, which had chosen her as her partner, said hi to her as well.

"Heracross!" A shiny Heracross that she had recently caught on Azalea Town greeted her.

"Alright! Who wants to eat some ramen?!" Lyra asked.

Her camping kit had a ramen cooking kit, which she used, along with some ingredients, to make some spicy ramen that everyone on her team loved. How did the Pokémon with non opposable thumbs eat ramen? Don't ask! Heracross chirped, happily.

"You really like it, Heracross?" Lyra asked. Heracross nodded. "Perfect! Do you want to lead the way on the team? We gotta kick the Rose Rockets out of here!"

Heracross nodded, happily. The pink Pokémon was ready for anything.

Lyra kicked the butts of the Rose Rockets without much effort, kicking them out of the Tohjo Falls. Pryce thanked her when she reported back to Mahogany.

"Thank you so much for kicking out the Rockets!" Pryce said. "Although... I do wonder if they did really leave the curiosity shop alone"

Ego had told her to not touch those HQ. Lyra smiled, happily.

"I dunno! If they're not hurting anyone, I can't really hunt them down!" She said, jolly. "Once they do something bad, the hammer of justice will fall on them all!"

"I guess so" Pryce smiled. "Take good care, kiddo"

Lyra smiled. She was then called on the PokéGear.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Hi there, Lyra!" It was Ethan, from New Bark Town! "Do you wanna hang out?"

"Oh, I'd love to!" Lyra smiled.

"Perfect!" Ethan said. "See you at home!"

Lyra flew back to New Bark Town to meet Ethan, whom she hugged.

"You're really something, huh!" Ethan grinned. "You were so stoic before"

"Uh-huh!" Lyra nodded. "But not anymore!"

They went camping on the town's meadows. Ethan took his only Pokémon out of the PokéBall, his dear Marill. Lyra only let Typhlosion out. Typhlosion and Marill played together merrily.

"Don't you want to travel outside these regions? See what the world holds?" Ethan asked.

"Nope. I gotta take care of both regions" Lyra said. "Work together with dad to make it happen"

"Your dad is that pink-haired guy who lurks around here sometimes, right?" Ethan asked. "My dad couldn't really believe it when we met you, a year ago. Like, your mom had always been a local, and suddenly she has a secret eleven year old kid?! It didn't make sense to him. No offense"

"None taken" Lyra said. "Adults are very scheming, your dad has a reason to worry"

"Adult life seems extremely convoluted!" Ethan said. "I'm just raising my Pokémon the best I can!"

"Me too!" Lyra smiled. "By the way, do you know what a SmartRotom is?"

"Oh, those new fangled phones that use Rotoms?" Ethan asked.

Lyra nodded.

"Silph S.A. is making a contract with the SmartRotom company in Paldea to mass produce them" She said.

"Woah!" Ethan said, surprised. "Will I be able to buy one?"

"I dunno. This town is pretty small. We don't even have a PokéMart" Lyra said. "I might encourage the League to build a PokéMart and a Pokémon Center. Expand this town a little bit"

Ethan giggled.

"That would be surprising!" He said, jolly.

Lyra nodded.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

POV Lyra

Lyra was at the Indigo League, defending her Title, and she defeated the Ace Trainer who had challenged her with ease. He was surprised.

"Woah! You pack quite a punch!" He said, as he left.

The challenge was over, and Lyra could finally leave the League's premises.

She left for the Alpha Ruins, where she was helping out the archaeologists find stuff. She found in the ruins a secret button, and a secret chamber opened. Weirded out, Lyra decided to go to the secret chamber.

"Come on, Typhlosion" Lyra said.

Typhlosion followed her down the chamber. She found some ancient texts written in Unown script. She had an uncanny ability to understand it, so she read it outloud.

"She who bears the cursed blood will meet the King of Reality" Lyra said.

Then, a PokéBall appeared on a rock table. She grabbed it and opened it, revealing a weird, plush-sized black creature with a crown-esque appendage on its head and an only eye.

"Unown!" They said, merrily.

"The King of Reality...? King Unown?!" Lyra said, surprised.

"Indeed, child" King Unown said, to her surprise.

"You can talk!" She said, surprised.

"I can talk, yes" King Unown said. "I want us to be partners"

"OK!" Lyra smiled. King Unown sat on her shoulder, as Typhlosion glared at him. "Aw, Typhlosion, don't be jealous!"

"I don't mind sharing her attention and friendship with you" King Unown stated, looking at Typhlosion. Or glaring at him. He had one single eye, no mouth and no eyebrow, it was highly difficult to tell.

Lyra decided to try and connect with King Unown the best way she could: Battling. She got out of the ruins and went flying back to the Indigo League, to both reorganize her team and challenge an Elite Four member to a match.

(...)

POV Ego

Ego and Himeko were on the bed together. Their first time had been amazing. For a bit of privacy, Ego had kept his Pokémon outside the room, but he had also to block out Mew, Mewtwo and MissingNo's mind link.

They were hugging, basking on the afterglow together.

"If we aren't careful, we might be giving Lyra a sibling in no time!" Himeko chimed in, happily.

Ego sighed, smiling at her.

"That would be wonderful" He said. "Unfortunately, I have a criminal empire to run"

"You know that's hot? And it gives me a sort of inferiority complex" Himeko said. "My daughter's the Champion and my man is the Team Rose Rocket leader"

"I mean, you are a genius scientist" Ego argued, trying to make her feel better. "You could be lead scientist anywhere you wanted!"

"How about Silph?" Himeko prompted. Ego smiled approvingly. "Alright! I'll be head of Silph in less than a year?"

"A CEO? How?" Ego asked.

"Oh, a woman knows her ways" Himeko said. "Let's get dressed"

Ego nodded, getting dressed as he unblocked the psychic connection with his Pokémon. They came into the room, slightly upset with Ego, but a quick look into his mind made them understand.

"(Humans are gross!)" Mew laughed it out, only Ego understanding it.

Himeko then smiled.

"Well, Ego, you might need to return to your secret base. I won't stop you, buh-bye!" She grinned.

"See ya" Ego smiled.

He asked Mewtwo to teleport them to the Celadon HQ. He sat down on the sofa as he began working on the computer with his administrative work. How would Himeko take over Silph, he wondered?

TO BE CONTINUED