Pokémar Episode V, A Clone's Destiny

The Return

Three weeks. Three stress filled weeks of my life I'm never getting back. After a quick look over the warehouse (and finding the magnagate generator they took from me stashed on a shelf) the long, painful process began. The investigation and interrogations were pretty straight forward. They ask questions, I answer. And Mewtwo scares away any crooked cop looking to put a bullet in my head. Still nerve wracking, sure, but manageable.

And then came the trials.

Devon Corp did everything in their power to discredit me, no surprises there. They accused me of breaking and entering; they even went so far as to accuse me of being an illegal immigrant because I had no license or ID card. Whenever the chance arose they always tried to paint me as the bad guy. It's lucky, then, that my lawyer knew what he was doing and kept the conversation on the bigger picture, the use of ethically dubious cloning tech and the dealings with Team Rocket. 

The flash drive that Mrs. Fuji provided us proved invaluable in court. It laid out, in detail, just how much Devon invested into Project Mewtwo, knowing full well they were dealing with a criminal organization and what it was they were funding. The end result was a massive fine, several arrests, and an unenviable PR nightmare.

I didn't emerge totally unscathed, though. After all, Devon did have a point. I had been trespassing. And I was without identification. The former was resolved through the application of an obscure "Reasonable Vigilante Protection Clause" and the latter... well... I paid a fine, got an ID, and that was that. Full credit to my lawyer for pulling me out of that one. It made me appreciate the authority I hold as founder of New Hope on Pokemar. Not that said authority was worth anything here.

Last came the media. At least law had clear rules. But navigating the interviews and ensuring my words couldn't be twisted against me was grueling and exhausting. But by the end, the facts were (mostly) laid out for all to see. And this was the final straw for the people of Hoenn. Demands for a corruption purge in the ranks of the Police surged. And slowly but surely, the cops became more trustworthy and the streets got safer. It's still not perfect, nor do I expect it to ever be so. But is is far in a way better than it was. And with Mewtwo taking the fight to Rocket when we go, the people of Hoenn are in safe hands.

And with the aftermath finally handled, I took a day to do nothing but relax. No fights, no interviews, no court summons. Just me, Thunder, and my friends taking a well deserved break.

>>>>>>>>>>

It is the next day. And today we are finally going home. As I has suspected, Jackson was indeed thrilled by the prospect of visiting his old friends. Josh too. He had been practicing pokespeak with me in the off time during the three weeks of hell. He's gotten pretty good at it. His vocabulary is still lacking somewhat, but he knows enough to communicate with pokemon and get his point across. Something he's put to use with his team. Mewtwo and Beta have come as well to see us off. Mercy too, keeping a fair distance away. I nod to her in acknowledgement and she nods back.

We follow Ninetales as she guides us east, past Verdanturf Town. Finally, the shimmering portal comes into view. Within it I can see rocky terrain and the dojo where this whole adventure began. It's come full circle.

"We are here." Ninetales says. "I'd recommend holding onto your clothing for when you return. It won't fit your pokemon bodies, no doubt, but when you come back you're likely going to need it."

"Note taken." Jackson says. 

I turn to face Mewtwo and Beta. "Well, I guess this is it for now. In spite of all the peril, I enjoyed having you around."

"I second that." Thunder adds. "I hope your fight against Team Rocket goes well."

"As do we, Thunder." Mewtwo nods with a smile. "You all have done much for us. We will not forget you." The reach out their hand and I eagerly take it for a handshake. "Safe travels, Alex. And to all of you."

"Look, I get you're all saying goodbye and stuff, can we hurry it up a little?" Josh complains. "I really want to see Pokemar."

"Hang in there, bud." Jackson says. "We're almost done." He turns to Ninetales. "It was good to see you again. How's Cyn and the others?"

"I was in Pokemon Plaza about a month ago. Cyn goes by Quil now, given that they've evolved. And Team Guardians is still going strong."

"Do they... remember me?"

"I would be surprised if they didn't. I imagine it will be a heartfelt reunion."

"Well let's not keep them waiting any longer. Thank you again for everything."

"It's been my pleasure. Always nice to reconnect with a friendly face." She takes a step back. "When you all are ready, simply step on through."

"Fair warning to you two," I chip in. "passing through this is fairly painful. so be ready for that."

Josh shoots me a worried look. "You're only saying that now?!"

"Are you changing your mind?"

"No way. I'm just mad you didn't say so earlier."

"Fair. Either way, it's time we take our leave. Everyone ready?" I get nods of approval. "Alright then on the count of three."  I count us down and we step through. The process is nowhere near as painful this time as it was coming in. Might have something to do with me not being inside a ball this time. My body warps and changes like a fluid. I start to shrink and my clothes fall off of me, burying my Snivy body under a pile of cloth. I break free easily enough and take a moment to reacquaint myself with my serpentine body.. I sigh contently. It's good to be back. I look back to see a Machoke and an Eevee poking out of their own clothes piles.

"I'm back... I'm actually back..." Jackson's voice speaks from the Machoke. He grows misty-eyed before shaking his head to try and suppress it. "I'm sorry. I told myself I'd hold it together."

"I see no shame in it." I reply. "You've returned to Pokemar after a decade and a half. If the tears need to fall, let them."

Meanwhile Eevee Josh is tripping up on his own feet. He tries to break into a gallop before faceplanting into the dirt. "Four legs... Really weird... Help..." He calls after finally getting back up on his wobbling legs. Jackson is quick to his side.

"Here. Watch me." Thunder says before getting on all fours. "Front left, back right, back left, front right. One after the other. Take it slow. You can go faster once you get the hang of it." Josh tentatively follows Thunder's directions, slowly getting into a rhythm.

"If it's any consolation, if and when I become a Serperior, I'll be in that exact same boat. I've held off on evolving for that exact reason." 

"Makes me feel little better." Josh replies as he tries to speed up. I notice Thunder glancing at me, musing about something.

"Something wrong, Thunder?" I ask.

"No." He says, snapping out of his thoughts. "No problem. Forgot you were a Snivy is all. Now then, let's get a move on while we still have daylight."