Chapter 1: Lost

"I'm so sorry Two." Sabrina whispered. Cold night air rushed past her skin, long dark lonely streets seemed to extend to the horizon, further increasing her desperation. Her breath came in short choppy gasps that burned her throat and lungs. Her feet were cut and bleeding, and each step she took was agony. She had kicked off the pointless dress shoes over five blocks ago and now ran with only a thin layer of nylon to protect her from broken glass and gravel. Consciousness was slipping fast. She had to keep going, she had to help him.

"I'm sorry…I think I lost them." She paused for one crucial moment and looked over her shoulder, scanning the darkness for any movement. She tried to pick up speed again and her ankle twisted as she tripped over a pothole that had been hidden in the darkness. Her face bit the asphalt, gravel and dirt ground into her cheek. Even through the pain of the fall, she held tightly to the Masterball in her arms. Right now it was the only thing in the world that mattered to her. The Gym Leader was almost defenseless, her psychic powers had been exhausted hours ago. She lay there for a moment, thinking about the events of the past few hours. Her body ached, her mind felt distorted. She thought about stopping now, to cease all running and just lay here in the street for the cops to find her the next morning. That wouldn't do. She had a promise to keep.

Sabrina rolled over and looked up at the night sky. The stars shone brightly despite her desperate situation. Something normal in an otherwise abnormal world. The sight of those many sparkling lights set part of her mind at ease. She pulled herself to her feet and started running for the Pokemon Center up the street. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to challenge him."

Nurse Joy yawned and looked up from her station behind the main desk. It had been a long night, and trainers from all over the continent had been here earlier to participate in a local festival. Which one she wasn't sure of, not like she could take the time off to attend them anyway. Usually she would lock the Center down for the night, leaving only the emergency services open, but tonight that little nagging voice in the back of her head told her not to. Which brought about a mental argument about whether she should go ahead and do it. After all, it was on long nights like this that out of boredom she started talking to herself. It usually took her a while to get out of the habit. And tended to creep out the people around her.

Joy turned her attention to the computer terminal next to her, perhaps that would provide a decent enough distraction. "I need to get those reports typed up anyway." She mumbled. At least she had stopped shouting out loud. The Pokemon nurse had no sooner sat down, when the door weakly swung open. In the quiet of the Center she could distinctly hear bare feet slapping the floor, closely followed by the sound of a muted thud. Before she had even sat up to look, Joy knew that this was going to be a busy evening. She steeled herself, then peeked around the monitor and gasped.

Gym Leader Sabrina of Saffron City was crawling toward the counter, not walking, not limping, but laying flat on the floor crawling. Sabrina shifted and Joy could see she held a blue and white Master Ball in her very tired hands. "Joy…" Sabrina's breath came in shallow breaths. "H…h...help...this…Poke...mon."

Nurse Joy neglected procedure and vaulted over the counter, grabbing a cordless phone on her way. "Hold on, I'm calling the hospital!" She carefully accepted the ball from Sabrina's hands and placed it on the counter.

"Help him..." Sabrina panted

"I will, just be still." Joy checked to see if Sabrina had any visible injuries.

"My head hurts…" Sabrina's voice sounded like a whimper.

"Shhh…" Joy couldn't hit the buttons fast enough. It seemed to take forever to hit three simple digits. Why she didn't have that particular number on speed dial never crossed her mind. Sabrina's eyelids fluttered. She opened and closed her eyes, trying to keep her focus. "Stay with me Sabrina."

The Gym leader's eyes closed one last time. Her body relaxed and her breathing slowed.

Close the gates now Joy! Sabrina's voice seemed to come from all corners of the room. Joy paused and looked around. No, the Gym Leader was still passed out on the floor.

"How are you…?"

I'm astral projecting; it saves energy in my physical body. I can't keep it up for long though. Joy! They're coming. Close the gates now!

"Right." She stood up and reached over the counter, searching for the panel to activate the gates. "Where's that button?" She pushed aside a bunch of files, spilling them onto the floor. "There," She hit the huge red button underneath a loose paper. The Pokemon Center echoed with the sound of chain link fences and gates rolling shut and locking.

Lights off! Lights off! Sabrina's voice came again.

"I am, give me a moment." Joy clutched the phone to her chest.

"Hello? 911."

"Hello, this is Nurse Joy from the Pokemon Center." Joy ran across the room and turned off the light switch. Then began looking for a place to hide. By the sound of Sabrina's mental voice, there was reason for concern. "I have a seriously injured Pokemon Gym Leader here. She just came in, and she's bleeding."

"Okay, calm down, tell me everything you can."

Joy grabbed Sabrina's arm and dragged her to a dark corner.

"Is everything okay? You sound frightened,"

"That's because I am." Joy sat down next to Sabrina, looking through the chain link. She could see them now. Dark shapes were moving around outside, rising from the bushes and coming in from the streets. "Who are they?"

"Who? What? Talk to me Joy? Joy?"

"Someone is outside…"

"Help is coming right now."

"I need an ambulance." Joy tried to regain control of her fear. " Please hurry!"

The dark shapes outside walked up to the window. Joy could make out large red "R"s on their chests. For a moment she sat still and silent. Team Rocket. What would Team Rocket want with the Pokemon Center? They didn't have any rare or valuable Pokemon in at the moment. Unless…Joy looked to her side at Sabrina. Were they trying to find the Gym Leader? Joy watched with wide eyes as the Rocket members inspected the windows and doors, then left.

"They didn't see me…how come they didn't they see me?"

Easy you idiot, because despite the bright white dress you were hiding in the shadows.

"Joy!?"

Joy gave a small shriek, and covered her chest. She took a deep breath to calm herself then held the phone to her ear. "I'm here,"

"Are you okay? Are the people still outside? Help is on the way."

"Thank you." She held onto the phone. Nurse Joy could feel her heart hammering in her chest like some lost bird. The Center suddenly rang with a loud metallic pop. Joy screamed and scrambled away from the counter. "What was that?" She looked for the source of the sound then saw the Master Ball rolling away in the half-light. "It just fell off the counter Joy, it just…I need to stop freaking out." She looked down at Sabrina and then up at the ball. She placed the phone on Sabrina's chest. "She said to help him…" Joy gained her feet cautiously. "My first and foremost responsibility is for the Pokemon."

She walked over to the ball and picked it up. The thing had almost been completely destroyed. A large scratch ran down the side taking some of the blue paint with it. A huge dent had been made on the white half, but falling of the counter didn't cause that. Some parts were scorched and burned, and the "M" was all but non-existent. The ball itself felt heavy, meaning that a Pokemon of considerable size was inside.

Red and blue lights ran across the back wall. Officer Jenny along with a few other squad cars and an ambulance had arrived. "Joy!" Jenny ran up to the door, lifted a hand and peeked inside. "Joy! Are you alright?"

"Now I am!" Joy ran behind the desk and opened the gates. "Jenny! You won't believe what happened!"

"Poor Sabrina." Joy sighed after finally bidding Jenny goodbye. Reports had to be filed, and Jenny had suggested plenty of rest and chocolate. When Joy said that she didn't have time for either, Jenny responded by giving her a box of her favorite chocolates. She was going to save them for when the shift was over, but Joy needed them more than Jenny did. Joy smiled when she remembered their old tradition. Ever since they were children, she and Jenny sit together on stormy nights, drinking hot chocolate and watching the lightning. When one had trouble, the other had always been there.

Joy shut the door after Jenny. Thankfully no trainers had shown up during all the trouble. She studied the box of chocolates, betting that Jenny had already had a few. If she ate all the dark chocolate truffles there would be trouble.

"Trouble?" Joy set the box down, and brought her hand to her cheek. "The ball!" She ran behind the counter and picked it up from where she had put it next to the computer. During all the chaos it had completely slipped her mind. "Oh please be alive, please be alright." From her training she knew that the in the event that the Pokemon had died the ball would open. As she moved to the examination room offering a simple prayer. "Please don't let it be something dangerous."

Joy opened the door to the back room. Pokemon that had been sleeping peacefully earlier were now wide-awake from all the noise outside. Nurse Joy went to a small examination room where an observation table sat in the center.

"This is too much stress for one night, my sister in Pewter City would never behave like this. Here goes." Joy activated the ball. Blue light instead of the familiar red spread across the table and solidified a form. The ball slipped from her hands and clattered on the floor. This is just too much, I need someone else here…

A long grayish-purple shape lay on the table. Its chest slowly rose and fell with labored breathing. Joy had seen wounded Pokemon before, but not one like this. This was definitely a rare one, and just when she thought she had seen just about everything come through here. It lay facing her, eyes half open, as was its mouth. A long purple tail weakly twitched, slowly curling, and uncurling. "What happened?" Joy breathed as she put a hand on the gray shoulder. It had soft very short fur, much like the skin of a peach, it had a light shine to it, almost like velvet. She could feel something warm and sticky under her fingers. She pulled her hand away to reveal dark red almost black blood. She almost jumped when her Chancey assistant entered the room with a tray of potions.

Joy walked around the table and ran her gaze from the tip of his feet to its head, then a rather large dark red spot that seemed to pulsate from within. "What?" She came forward to study it. "Oh no…"

Joy ran out of the room and grabbed the phone again. She quickly dialed a number then began babbling. It had taken her a full minute to realize that she had been staring at the back of its head, and the pulsating mass was its brain.

…two hours earlier…

"So, what is this match about Sabrina?"

"I just wanted a friendly battle. It has been a while since I've had the chance to put my skills to the test. Worthy Pokemon Trainers seem to be a vanishing breed lately." Sabrina rested three Pokeballs on the table between them. "Me and you." She blinked her big purple eyes. "Come on Giovanni, you know you want to."

Giovanni sat back in his chair a little further and rubbed his chin. "So be it." An anticipatory spread across his face. "Be in my gym in ten minutes."

"I'll be there in five.."

Sabrina took a place at one end of the huge remodeled Pokemon Gym. Giovanni had really gone all out with this recent incarnation. The floor had been constructed of League-grade clay, the lines painted on professionally, and both combatants had little platforms to stand on with holographic readout of the progression of the battle. The walls were covered in carvings of all the known Pokemon. By habit, Sabrina scanned for her favorite, and then found him. Near Giovanni's balcony.

Mewtwo? She asked telepathically.

I am here.

Do you think you're ready for this?

I know I am.

Sabrina had taken on quite a challenge. As a Gym leader she felt obligated to try and do something. She had proof that Giovanni had been harvesting more than his fair share of endangered and wild Pokemon, and due to his Gym leader status, the laws were in his favor. Many others had failed when they tried to stop or even hinder his actions. Sabrina wanted a decent match in the hopes that he would pull out one of his more Rare Pokemon. She could then take the record of their battle to the League and have his Gym Leader license pulled. She then said to Mewtwo, I feel excited to be doing the right thing.

I agree. Even though this is somewhat an act of revenge.

What if we lose?

Against what? He doesn't have me and that eats him up every day of his life.

You sound as if you're going to enjoy this.

Rest assured, I will.

Just stay hidden until I need you, okay?

Of course.

Sabrina looked up and saw Giovanni take a seat in his chair, followed by two members of Team Rocket. But it took only a glance to see that they were not the infamous Jesse and James. He snapped his fingers and one of his escorts set a thick glass on the table, added five cubes of ice, and then poured a generous amount of scotch in the glass. "Are you ready to battle?" He asked while picking up the drink.

"Yes." Sabrina levitated three Pokeballs before her, and pulled one from the air.

"Best out of three?"

"Sounds reasonable." Sabrina raised her Pokeball. "Kadabra, go!" A red bolt jumped from the ball and Kadabra formed on the floor.

"Hhmmmm…" Giovanni took a sip of his scotch. "I'll match you for it." He snapped his fingers and the assistant on his left picked a ball from a selection at Giovanni's side. The assistant threw the Pokeball and Giovanni's own Kadabra appeared.

You know Two, I really hate this guy.

I know the feeling.

Sabrina turned her attention to the match. "Kadabra, Psybeam!" She shouted, a little excited with enthusiasm that would have been non-existent a year ago.

"Teleport." Giovanni said calmly. Giovanni's Kadabra vanished before the beam could hit.

Sabrina groaned. "Kadabra! Watch out!"

Giovanni's Kadabra suddenly appeared behind Sabrina's and then used Psybeam.

No, I mean, I REALLY hate this guy. She snorted.

Calm down Sabrina. Who would have thought I would become friends with a human with a worse temper than mine?

You're not as much of a comedian as Haunter, Two.

I'm wasn't trying to be, but you can exaggerate your shortcomings.

Just let me fight this match.

Are you sure you don't need any help?

I can win this myself! She snapped.

As you wish. He backed down from the argument. Now was not the time nor place.

Sabrina yanked a second Pokeball out of the air when Kadabra hit the clay and didn't get up again. She cursed under her breath.

"You have improved only slightly Sabrina." Giovanni held out his now empty glass and the girl at his side refilled it.

How did he finish that one glass so quickly?

"Well, I guess Kadabra can't win them all." Sabrina called Kadabra back. I absolutely hate losing on purpose Two.

You did that on purpose? He countered.

Shut-up smart-ass.

"I call Haunter." Sabrina threw her ball on the floor. It had taken her forever to get Haunter in the ball. She finally had to get Mewtwo to weaken him for her so the ghost would comply, and now the brat wasn't coming out. Two?

Haunter suddenly shot out of the ball.

Thank you Two.

"A Haunter?" Giovanni snapped his fingers again. "I'll match you yet another time."

Sabrina winced as Haunter lost the match. Even though her own Haunter was more powerful, all her Pokemon had strict orders to botch the match somehow. Haunter was an excellent actor, if a bit melodramatic at times.

"You're not even trying." Giovanni said from his balcony. His Persian sat at his side, enjoying a good head scratch.

I've got a bad feeling about this Two.

We can't turn back now.

Are you ready then?

Yes.

"I have one more Pokemon." Sabrina folded her arms. "I call, Mewtwo."

Giovanni leaned forward in his seat, almost bringing his features into the light. Mewtwo floated down from the high ceiling and landed softly on the clay floor.

You have rebuilt the arena. Mewtwo commented.

"Yes, but when I did, I also added a few improvements. I knew you'd inevitably come back."

Sabrina glanced around. The panels she had been admiring before suddenly slid open revealing machinery beyond. Her body vibrated with Mewtwo's sudden psychic field. She turned her gaze to Mewtwo, who was staring intently at Giovanni. Even in the shadows, she could see that Giovanni was glaring back.

The machinery behind the panels came alive and shot out, all aiming for Mewtwo.

Two! Watch out!

What? He turned and froze when pieces of metal restraining armor started homing in on him. Barrier! He called out. Yet nothing happened. I can't move, why? I've never been this frightened before…

"Two!" Sabrina screamed, attempting to use her own psychic powers to deflect the attack.

Memories of the restraining armor rose from their graves, ghosts coming back to haunt him when he least needed it. The helmet came closer, swinging around, and he could see the HUD flicker on the inside. A weight suddenly slammed into his leg, knocking him over. His first thought was that a leg-cuff had gotten him, but the cuffs were not that big. What had hit him? Mewtwo spun around and saw the armor engulf Sabrina. Bright electric blue and white bolts circled her body. The armor wasn't designed for her, and the shock was overloading her nervous system. The armor shorted out. The electricity stopped suddenly and Sabrina dropped to the floor.

No! Sabrina! Mewtwo flew over next to her. She had actually managed to slam him a good distance. Her green hair had become tangled and frayed in the cords of the armor, her legs folded underneath her and her fingers twitched as the last after shocks of the electricity grounded. Mewtwo landed and began to tear the armor off. No! Sabrina! Breathe!

Sabrina moaned as he pulled off the helmet. "Two…Get out,"

"Oh this is touching." Giovanni stood up on his balcony. The two agents behind him each pulled a ball from their collection and held them ready to attack at their employers command.

Sabrina sat up weakly. She shook off an arm and leg cuff. A shock like that would have killed a normal human, good thing she wasn't a "normal" human. "Get out, this was a bad idea,"

I'm not leaving you behind.

"You know Sabrina," Giovanni called out. "There's one thing I've learned that Pokemon aren't immune to." He pulled something from his coat. "That, my little psychic powerhouse, would be a bullet."

Mewtwo felt a weight hit his head with a force he couldn't describe. Only after he lifted his hand to investigate did he hear the arena echo with a somewhat muted pop. What? He froze, then put a hand to his head.

"Two?" Sabrina finished removing the last of the armor. "Two?"

"You have no need to worry about the little science experiment. One more shot and he's out of both of our miseries." Giovanni sneered.

Sabrina didn't hear him. All of her focus was stolen by the sight of her dear friend in agony. She froze when a small trickle of dark red blood started seeping between Mewtwo's fingers. A familiar taste of iron came into her mouth. She only felt that taste when she saw blood, and there was a lot of blood. "Two?" She asked, yet already felt deep in her gut that the worst had happened.

"You are no longer needed Mewtwo." Giovanni raised the gun to fire again.

Sabrina snapped out of her stupor and whipped out a Masterball. She captured a still shocked Mewtwo before a second bullet hit, then tucked the ball under her arm. Two more shots hit the floor around her as she jumped up and ran for the nearest exit at the side of the Gym.

Giovanni calmly released the revolvers cylinder, and dumped the empty shells onto the table next to him. "Makes the game a bit more interesting." He tapped a button mounted on the table, alerting the rest of Team Rocket. "Persian, after her." He said while reloading the gun. Persian jumped from the balcony and started after Sabrina who already disappeared down a hall.

I'm sorry Two, I can't believe it. The bastard shot him in the head, right in his head…What kind of monster is this Gym leader? She heard a deep growl behind her and turned her head enough to see Giovanni's prized Persian coming up the hall fast. "Kadabra go! Our lives depend on it!"

"Kadabra!"

Sabrina turned and kept running. Kadabra knew how to take care of himself, and knew the way home in case they got separated. Team Rocket Members seemed to come from the very cinderblock that the walls were made of. They jumped in her path, attempted to tackle her, shot at her with ice and electric weapons, and even tried to get their Pokemon to battle her directly. "Haunter!" She threw out her second ball to fend off this new threat. Confronted by a new prize, half of her pursuers turned to battle Haunter, while the others continued chasing Sabrina. I guess all those years on track paid off. She thought to herself as she turned a corner An exit door open to the outside came into view at the end of the hall. Almost there, if she could just make it twenty more feet…

Giovanni suddenly stepped from the shadows. Sabrina felt a stinging pain and force come across her face, then the rough feeling of cinder block on her cheek. The ball fell from her hands when she slid to the floor. Giovanni pulled his cane back, returning it to his side. He looked down at the ball, then pushed the button in with his toe causing the ball to open. The blue bolt came and a rather confused Mewtwo solidified on the floor. His head was still bleeding, and seemed to be getting worse.

Mewtwo? Sabrina tried to contact him and went scrambling for the Masterball.

"Stop." Giovanni slammed his cane down hard on her hand, breaking her fingers in the process. Mewtwo looked upward fixing his gaze on the Rocket leader, his eyes glowing blue.

Mewtwo? Sabrina tried again. He didn't answer. Mewtwo?!

A low deep chuckle started in Giovanni's throat. "You fool, I made you. I know how to stop you. I only clipped the side of your head, nothing lethal, but enough to knock your powers offline. Now stop acting stupid and make your decision. Either stay with me or die."

Sabrina tried to think of a way to fight back. Her energy was almost spent, and she knew that she had to get Two to a Pokemon Center immediately. He doesn't know any attacks other than psychic ones,

Giovanni lowered the gun and placed the barrel between Mewtwo's eyes. The Pokemon's head tilted back a little from the pressure.

"Choose."

Sabrina,… Mewtwo's mental voice was weak and strained, but she could finally hear it. Help me…

Sabrina looked Mewtwo over. How could he fight back? Idiot! He's a Pokemon! Make him realize that! It was a long shot, but it might work. She fought back the burning sensation in her lungs and said in the most authoritative voice she could muster. "Um…Mewtwo! Tailwhip!"

"Tailwhip?" Giovanni repeated, his smirk widening into a grin.

Mewtwo took the hint, then suddenly stood and spun around. His massive tail connected solidly with the Gym Leader and sent him sailing down the hall. Giovanni slammed into the corner and spun, landing hard on his hip. Half a dozen Team Rocket members scrambled out of the way. Enraged, Giovanni pulled his beaten body to a stand.

"Tackle!" Sabrina followed it up with another bare-bones basic, yet effective attack.

Without questioning her, Mewtwo rushed in and hit Giovanni hard with his shoulder, sending the man into the wall with all the force and strength his body could muster. The Pokemon spun on his heel, then started hopping back to Sabrina.

"Hurry!" Sabrina grabbed the Masterball again; she could hear Mewtwo close behind her. Giovanni slid down the wall crumpled on the floor. "Come on Two!" Just when it seemed that freedom was in sight, Sabrina's sixth sense kicked in. There was a feeling of dread and fear that she couldn't overcome or explain away. The air was suddenly still and seemed to condense around her. She felt Mewtwo's weight knock her to the floor, then come to rest covering her. "Two," She struggled to move, lifting one hand to drag her body forward. The Gym Leader suddenly froze. The back of her hand had been misted with red water…no, not red water. Blood. She knew blood when she saw it by now. "No." She pulled herself out from under his weight and looked over her shoulder. The iron taste was back, and it felt like she was going to give up her lunch. "Mewtwo…"

"Better run Sabrina." Giovanni lowered his gun while pulling himself to his feet once more. "Makes the hunt even more enjoyable."

She snapped her attention back to Mewtwo. One purple eye slowly half opened, as if he were unsure himself of what had happened. Sabrina picked up the Masterball from the floor beside her and recalled him inside. Giovanni was struggling with his advance, but several members of Team Rocket were closing in fast.

Sabrina stood up, stumbled out of the exit door and started running. She didn't care about her own life. She was determined to keep the promise she and Two had made to each other.

"It's really been a game of 'Who's that Pokemon'." Nurse Joy said as she opened a door and turned on a light switch. "It must have been horrible for my sister that night. First Team Rocket, then this poor thing. When she called our parents they could barely make out what she was saying. But that's enough about me. I'm so glad you could come, and bring your Pokemon expertise."

"I'm glad to be of service Nurse Joy, and just call me Bill, my formal title is such a mouthful. " He held his hand out, and Nurse Joy shook it politely. Bill was about medium height, with an average build. He had light brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been properly combed in days, and bright cheerful brown eyes.

"This way please Bill." She led him around a small table filled with different super potions, and then pushed another button on the right wall. "Stand back please." A section of the rear wall started to slide open, reveling a huge water tank with a large gray Pokemon inside. Occasionally little strands of bubbles would run up the side of the tank. "Usually we use this set-up for injured water Pokemon, but this was the only way I knew how to stabilize his condition without harming him or causing any further injury."

"Oh…" Bill came slowly forward and put his hands on the glass. "Its beautiful! I have never seen this kind before, yet he seems very familiar somehow." He ran his hands along the smooth glass of the tank, tracing the outlines of the shape. "What are his injuries?"

"Gym Leader Sabrina brought him in one night. She was pretty beat up herself. She gave my sister a Masterball and he was inside, once we examined him we discerned that someone had shot him. The bullet passed right through the back of his skull and out of the crown of his head."

Where am I?

"And Sabrina? Where is she now?" Bill asked.

My head…

"She's been in a coma for the past week."

Sabrina?

"Poor woman,"

In a state of half-sleep, Mewtwo tried to project his thought. Sabrina? Pain exploded in his mind, one cold long white flash that eventually settled into a dull reddish throb. He felt as if someone had ripped his skull open and decided to stomp on its contents.

Bill noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his full attention to the tank. "Joy! Look!" The huge purple Pokemon Had suddenly shifted and was now holding his head and thrashing around. His features had twisted into an expression of torment. "He's conscious, can you get him out?"

"I will try, but see if you can get him to stop moving first!" Joy jumped backward startled when his huge purple tail hit the glass of the tank.

Mewtwo paused for a moment; every move brought a new wave of pain. Beyond the faded green glass he saw a small round face pressed against the cold surface. It was the first time he had opened his eyes to survey his new surroundings, but the new information flooding into his brain did nothing to quell the pain. The face itself was rather pleasant and cheerful. The face was also shouting, but Mewtwo couldn't hear or even care about what was being said.

I need to get out! Where am I? What is this prison? He bit back the pain and started to move again, trying to use any attack he could think of to break the glass. Instead or comforting energy at his finger tips, the pain exploded again, consuming his mind in a wave of solid pressure that was followed by nauseating white heat that then gradually subsided in waves of pulsating stinging pain. My head…what is wrong with me?

The water slowly started to drain. Mewtwo felt his feet touch the grating on the bottom, and then lacking the energy to stand, he fell and lay down on his side, still holding his head. The green glass slid down. Bill came forward and reached out, to check his pulse and other immediate vital signs. Satisfied, his hand rested on Mewtwo huge grayish-purple shoulder.

"Poor thing, what happened? Who are you?" He asked, knowing that if anything, all Pokemon could at least communicate on a basic level.

I am- Pain again, accompanied by ringing in his ears. Mewtwo could no longer project his voice telepathically. Then came the almost expected flash. Cold and white, almost as if some rare variety of Pikachu had gotten loose in his head and was hell-bent on using every attack in its little fluffy body.

Bill backed away when the Pokemon shifted. Injured Pokemon were known to lash out anyone, friend of foe. So far, it was in a fetal position tentatively holding the sides of its head. "Oh?" He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at a bit of blood seeping from the Pokemons ear. "What's this?" He looked over his shoulder at Nurse Joy. "Have you given him any painkillers?"

"No. We weren't sure what species his is, or even what type. We need to know these this so it doesn't cause any further injury to him."

What is going on? Where is Sabrina? What is causing this pain? Mewtwo opened his eyes more slowly this time and examined the room he was in. A table, light pink walls, two Humans, five chairs, and aside from what he was laying in, there was nothing else.

"Joy," Bill examined the blood on his handkerchief. "I think we're dealing with a psychic type. The injury must have destroyed something that enabled him to use his powers. That would be explain why he is struggling so much."

WHAT?

"That would explain a lot, and does make sense. It's really amazing he's even alive." Joy walked toward Mewtwo with her stethoscope raised. "We tried our best, and almost had a family reunion bring in as many people as we could to save him, but some of his brain was damaged, and had to be removed."

My brain? MY BRAIN? Mewtwo picked his head up and opened his eyes in disbelief. The pain he felt in this motion was washed away by his shock.

"I think he heard you." Bill said softly.

Human, you couldn't even imagine…My brain…No! This cannot be! I am worthless without my powers! I cannot speak or communicate!

"What do you think we should do with him until Sabrina comes out of her coma?" Joy asked Bill.

Coma?

"I will take care of and study him at my home."

Mewtwo pushed back the memory of the scientists. I will not be studied! I will not be kept in a ball for personal use! I must tell them! I must find Sabrina! Why all of this at once? Why now? I must speak!

"m…mm.."

Bill and Joy paused mid conversation as the strange Pokemon began making equally strange noises. They watched, wary of the obvious struggle written on the Pokemon's features.

"mmm…."

"Is he trying to speak?" Joy reached for her clipboard.

"I believe so," Bill leaned a little closer, curiosity having gotten the better of him.

I can do this, I remember the way the words sounded, even how they were spelled. If I can just make the sounds, if I can convey the idea…

"Mmm…Mew…Mewtwo." His eyes suddenly opened wide and purple. So that's it, I am just a normal Pokemon. I cannot say anything other than my name.

"Did he say 'Mewtwo'?" Joy asked softly.

"Yes," Bill was in another world. "Mewtwo."

Mewtwo covered his face with his hand, as if to hide his shame of defeat. I must find Sabrina, even though I am no use to her now.

"Here you are Bill!" Joy said cheerfully. "One dented, blasted, and totaled Master Pokeball."

Bill reached out to accept the orb. "Good Heavens! This is what he arrived in?"

"Yes, and he was very reluctant to go back inside. I had to eventually sneak up on him." She gave him a pack of papers. "Please read these before you let him out. This Pokemon has the potential to be very dangerous, and we were unable to gauge his level of training. He put a few holes in the walls with those legs of his while trying to escape, and not to mention he scared the other Pokemon at the Center. I hope you know what you're getting into Bill."

Bill nodded, all joking put aside. "I've dealt with chaotic Pokemon before. I will take all precautions to ensure the safety of both the Pokemon and myself. Mewtwo will be safe."

"I've had to handle bad Pokemon before too, but this one takes the cake. Please be careful."

"I will, thank you Joy."

"You're very welcome, and good luck."