Psychic
Really and truly
- 387
- Posts
- 17
- Years
- Seen Apr 11, 2018
From the deep recesses of the Serebii Fan Fiction Forum, I bring you Starting Anew, a One-Shot that has always occupied much of my thought and is one of my favourites. I reworked it some for posting on PokéCommunity, just to put something of mine out there.
There are a few things to note about the story; the first of which, though it's not that important, is that it won third place in a One-Shot contest on SPPf. Another is that this isn't an incredibly light read; though it is centered around Mewtwo and his thoughts, it is not some sort of fangirl rant (despite me being one). To do it justice I attempted to focus on as many aspects of his character and background as possible while attempting to keep it realistic and delve a bit deeper. Although in some cases I don't go too far in detail, I tried to focus on points that I thought would really bring out his character.
Another point to note, and this is the final one, is that while I hadn't originally meant for this to be incredibly deep or meaningful, there are multiple themes you may wish to take note of in the story. The big ones you may want to think about are connection, loss, destruction versus creation and the old versus the new. There is also one predominant symbol that is vital to the story; most of my readers don't notice it, so let's see if you can figure it out. ^^
Of course, if you just want to read for the sake of reading, that's perfectly fine; enjoy it however you see fit.
As always, comments, criticism, all of it is more than welcome.
He watched on.
He watched on, stony, blank, left feeling empty by what he saw. Unable to do a thing, unable to find a way to stop the madness.
The sky was filled with crimson clouds, blocking out all the sun's light and casting the world in shadow. Hellish fire rained from the sky, scorching everything in its path. The ground opened up and created gaping chasms, swallowing up anything nearby. Fierce gales swept even the heaviest objects off the ground, sending them crashing down miles away. Huge waves crashed on the shore, flooding areas miles around. Lightning flashed across the blood red sky, illuminating the scene below.
Creatures of every shape and size were running about in panic, trying desperately to escape the natural disasters that took the lives of hundreds every second. The panic was like a disease, spreading like wildfire, affecting humans and Pokémon alike, causing them to scream out in desperation, running as if blind, trampling one another in a mad dash to find nonexistent safety. For this was the state of the entire world, with no single place spared. The flames falling from the heavens ignited whatever they touched, consuming plants, buildings, even living creatures, causing them to burn to the ground. An unnatural fear gripped the heart of every living creature, clouding their minds with single one thought: run. Friends had become enemies, blocking all possible escapes, and in the fear overwhelming their hearts and minds, insanity took its hold, and some even rung the necks of others in the blind chaos. It was mad, and the world no longer made any sense.
And still, they watched, doing nothing to defend the earth which they had been charged to protect. It was now being destroyed, the natural, yet unnatural calamities killing every thing in sight, with none able to hide or protect themselves, not from the disasters, not from each other.
Doom was imminent.
He looked about; he seemed calm, to an almost unnatural extent despite the chaotic scene before his deep, lavender eyes. The creature stood tall and firm despite the appearance of the wiry thin body he had been given, a sickly grey in color, with only a chest plate protecting his weak upper body. Long, bony arms remained at his sides, the hands tipped with balled fingers curled into fists. A thick purple tail swished slowly behind him, like a snake attempting to hypnotize its prey. The creature stood deep in thought, trying to understand what he was seeing, and why he was feeling things he had never before felt.
At first glance, Mewtwo seemed almost unfazed, unaffected by what he saw. But looking deeper, his eyes seemed troubled, and his sharp mind was not at peace, but hard at work solving a puzzle. The clone could not understand why, even as he looked down upon a world that had only caused him pain and suffering, that had taken advantage of him, and that had refused to see him as anything as a tool, why he pitied them so.
"It must be done," the Pokémon announced in a great, booming voice that echoed against the damp cave walls. He spread his grand multicolored wings wide, bright red feathers shining like a million dancing flames. The sharp black eyes of Ho-Oh were upon every creature in the huge cavern, all of whom had gone silent at the phoenix's words.
They ranged in colors and sizes, each representing a different element that kept the world in place, each unique, each treasured and cherished by humans. No two were the same, and just like they were different in appearance, so were their roles in the world different. The one thing they all shared was an aura of power, of dignity, of wisdom and knowledge gained from their countless years of life. Respected, revered, some even feared by mortal creatures, all standing together solemnly.
Now each contemplated the decision, and each couldn't help but feel an intense sense of sorrow. Overwhelming sadness filled the ancient chamber in which the Legendaries had held their Councils, but each was resigned and knew there was no other choice, no way to hide it.
"It must be done," Ho-Oh repeated solemnly, voice reverberating powerfully in the cave, hidden far from mortal eyes. The great phoenix dipped his great head, allowing one, single tear to fall from his ruby red eye. The last tear he would shed, letting go of his love and attachment for the world as it fell to the ground.
The clone had been at the Council, and he knew what would transpire because of it. However, Mewtwo had not spoken up, remaining silent as he watched the other Legendaries each shed a single tear for the world, a pure drop of water falling from each of their eyes. He had remained motionless at the back of the cavern, doing nothing, not once speaking. He had always felt out of place among these god-like creatures, even despite his own power which rivaled most of their own. He had really only been given the privilege to attend the Councils because of his relation to Mew, and it was only because of this similarity in DNA that he had a small say in what was done, smaller than even Latios and his sister. Not to say he was looked down upon; they had been kind to him and welcomed him with open arms, but he knew well that some of the Legendaries were still wary around him.
Sill, in regards to making this decision, Mewtwo had nothing to say. He had thought about what he would do long in advance, and had reached the decision that we would do nothing but watch. After all, he had been created by mortals, so who was he to decide their fate?
Just as he had remained silent at the Council, so he remained silent here. Above the desolation, the fear, the suffering it was harder to understand and believe what was happening below. A nightmarish scene, taking place in a world the Legendaries had breathed life into and that had in turn created him. Was it not ironic that he should stand above the world that had shaped him and watch its destruction? He did hate the humans for what they had done, or he at least hated the individuals – as he had learned, not all humans were vile beings. But all those he had known and had known him were all long gone, having died many years ago, and there were no traces of his creation left. Mewtwo had no attachments left in the world, nothing left to which he could feel a connection down below – not to good, nor to bad.
Yet he still felt an intense sense of pity for them, and felt himself almost mourn with the other Legendary deities. But…why? After all, this, what was transpiring below, was to benefit the Earth: cleansing it, then starting again. What was there to pity, especially in a world that had done nothing but loathe him?
Mewtwo sighed. It still seemed almost…wrong. Was this what the world truly deserved? He truly did not know.
The clone's uneasy thoughts tugged at his mind, but his confusion seemed to reach other ears as well.
A small, cat-like creature sensed Mewtwo's thoughts, even from afar. Her short ears seemed to twitch, and she turned her elegant body, covered in fine pink fur to look at him with a large pair of bright sapphire eyes. Mew turned away from her previous perch and floated over to her clone, giving her long whip-like tail a little flick, the ovular shape at the end swishing.
"You seem troubled, Mewtwo," she said softly in his mind, the words ringing clear and pure as a crystal bell.
He was first taken aback from her approaching him and speaking; until then, they had all been staring below in silence, each lost in their own private thoughts. Still, this was a nice break from the solemnity.
Mewtwo could never help but find it strange how he and Mew seemed to share a bond, connected like no others. Although it was not great, it was still firm, like a rope tied between the two that despite creating a connection between them that allowed even their thoughts to pass between them, still gave them room to be independent creatures. Of course, Mew did share a slight connection to every living being; she was, after all, the Mother of them all. Every living creature was hers, each loved, and each given a blessing by her that fit the individual. Mewtwo suddenly understood that no matter how much this pained the others, Mew was the one who was most affected, and her pain must have run deeper than any other.
Mewtwo hung his head, closing his eyes after his contemplation. "Yes," he finally answered. "Though the reason why eludes me."
Mew nodded solemnly. "That is unlike you, Mewtwo," she said gently. "This is the first time you have felt pity, is it not?"
"Yes, pity…" he repeated softly, more to himself than to Mew. Hr slowly turned back to her. " But it makes no sense. The humans and Pokémon below have given me nothing. Only one has ever brought me anything other than pain, and he is long gone. Not a trace of my existence is left, save a small myth. So why do I…care?"
Mew paused for a moment, then smiled, more to herself than to him, as if remembering a distant memory. "Because life, no matter how small, no matter its importance, no matter its weight in the world, is still…wonderful."
The clone's eyes widened in unexplained shock. The words were words that had always rang gently in his head, like a distant whisper on the wind of his thoughts. No more real than a figment, grounded only by a flash of a memory. But with Mew's words they became persistent suddenly, the always unspoken words seeming real, now, and he could hear them echoing firmly in his mind. "Mew…" he began, but the little Legendary merely smiled and floated away, somersaulting in the air as she left him to his own thoughts once more.
A long breath escaped his lips, and he closed his eyes, blocking out the scene before them. If life was so wonderful, why was this world so full of life being destroyed?
They descended from on high, like a group of angels returning to a god-forsaken earth.
Finally, it was over.
The world looked like it had been ravaged by war. The ground, its once rich, loamy soil was now stained red with blood, covered by lifeless bodies and pieces of debris from trees, buildings, cars, everything and anything was scattered about. Some piles were indistinguishable, the difference between steel, nature and flesh impossible to make out. Small fires still burned in some places, carrying the strong, sickly sweet stench of burnt flesh and metal into the air in thick pillars of black smoke.
The feelings of pain and defeat hung in the dead air, a ghastly stench that would overwhelm any mortal's nostrils. Not to say the Legendaries were unaffected by what they saw: utter grief radiated off each one, the sadness gripping their hearts clear in each set of eyes that surveyed the scene of destruction. A world they themselves had shaped, now destroyed by its own creators. Though they did not show it, each was inwardly weeping over the loss of all that had been, despite the darkness that had taken hold of the world, for it was as if they had each lost their own children.
Ho-Oh's sharp ruby eyes looked over each Legendary present, boring into them intently and sending each a silent message, to which each nodded wordlessly. When they reached the lavender eyes of Mewtwo, holding them and locking them sternly, the clone couldn't help but shudder. In the bird's eyes he could see the pain he had endured from watching the Apocalypse, the intense sadness from seeing the death overwhelming the Legendary. But there was also the will to move on, to keep going, to begin anew. Ho-Oh was willing to lend them his strength, but they had to be willing to take it.
Mewtwo nodded in silent acceptance. He was willing to help.
With a satisfied gleam in his eye, Ho-Oh brought his long, elegant neck upwards, staring straight into the sky, filled with dark clouds blocking out the sun. Firm, resolute, and with utter dedication. The mighty phoenix opened his golden beak wide, and from the very bottom of his heart released a long, mournful cry. The sound was pure and clear, echoing in the still air for a moment as if it was all that existed in the land. A cry that could be heard all across the barren world.
Once the sound began to die away, the world around them seemed to melt, everything on the ground turning into a grey, powdery substance that almost dissolved at the touch. Mewtwo blinked, and upon further inspection found it to be ash. The ashes of the dead world, now all that remained of it.
The clone, however, still did not comprehend. The world, everything the Legendaries had been charged to protect, everything the humans had created, every part of it was gone. Now it was all just a barren wasteland, devoid of anything other than the residue of a cleansing fire. What was there to be done now? Leave the land to rot?
"Et vetera, et nova. From the old comes the new." Mewtwo snapped his head to see who had spoken, his eyes falling on a small green creature with a large, swept back head and short, stubby arms that floated serenely in the air on blue pixie wings. Celebi's deep-sunken sapphire eyes met with Mewtwo's violet ones, and she gave him a small smile.
"Rebuild," she said in almost a whisper. The Time Travel Pokémon closed her eyes, and as the other Legendaries watched her intently, the tips of the two antennae on her head began to glow an electric blue. A great power was emanating off of her, one that each Legendary could feel: this was her greatest strength, drawn from the innermost part of her soul. There was a great rumbling underneath the ground, like a great beast stirring after a long slumber. The clouds in the sky shifted, first losing their red tinge, then slowly dissolving and completely disappearing to reveal a perfectly clear azure blue sky. The sun lit up the world for the first time in days, and it felt as if it was shining brighter than ever before.
Her antennae stopped glowing, and Celebi opened her eyes, a peaceful, content look on her face. She looked calm, though slightly drained and somewhat unstable in the air, smiling slowly.
Mewtwo looked around, unsure of what had just taken place. Did it even make a difference? The world would never be the same, and while he had never loved a world that had hated and shunned him, he still…missed it. He could not explain it, but the world had still meant something to him; now it was all gone, and it would never be back. What was the point in creating and caring so much for a world, then destroying it?
"What is this all for?" Mewtwo asked aloud, a sudden anger in his voice. "Everything is gone! Nothing is left, save memories and ashes! There is no life left!" Didn't they understand?! They had destroyed it, and they couldn't bring it back! It was all for nothing! Even if the world had been evil, consumed by hatred and greed, it had still been full, and there had still been life in it! That should have been enough!
"From the old comes the new. All is not lost," Ho-Oh announced, walking over to the clone, black talons digging into the ground and sending small puffs of ash into the air.
"Look." Ho-Oh spread a great, rainbow-colored wing, gesturing to Suicune. The beast of the Northern winds nodded to the phoenix in understanding, the huge crystal mounted atop her head shimmering in the light of the sun. She gave Mewtwo a gentle smile with her white muzzle, then with one blue-furred paw Suicune brushed away a layer of ash on the ground, revealing underneath a single bud with two tiny leaves barely poking out of the ground. As the ashes were brushed into the air, the young plant's leaves unfurled, welcoming the sun and soaking in its rays for the first time.
"The world shall be rebuilt, Mewtwo. It will never be the same, but it shall still be beautiful and unique. All will be well once again," Ho-Oh explained gently, a small smile dancing on his lips. "And even you shall have a place among this new world."
Mewtwo's eyes widened, and he saw the offer he was being made. To be accepted, not as a clone, not as a shadow, but to have a true place in the world and be accepted for the first time in his life. That was, in a way, what he had always wanted, but did that mean he would lose his identity, and no longer be Mewtwo? Would he have to become something he wasn't? Lose his name and have his past erased as if it never mattered? Or did he still wish to be naught but a mere copy? To remain in shadow, separated from a world unlike himself? What would it mean, how could he be Mewtwo, but leave behind his suffering and loneliness?
After a long moment of thought, Mewtwo finally spoke with carefully-chosen words, closing his eyes and imagining what this new world would be.
"Life…is wonderful. And now I can be a part of it; but as none but myself." And he would be content.
There are a few things to note about the story; the first of which, though it's not that important, is that it won third place in a One-Shot contest on SPPf. Another is that this isn't an incredibly light read; though it is centered around Mewtwo and his thoughts, it is not some sort of fangirl rant (despite me being one). To do it justice I attempted to focus on as many aspects of his character and background as possible while attempting to keep it realistic and delve a bit deeper. Although in some cases I don't go too far in detail, I tried to focus on points that I thought would really bring out his character.
Another point to note, and this is the final one, is that while I hadn't originally meant for this to be incredibly deep or meaningful, there are multiple themes you may wish to take note of in the story. The big ones you may want to think about are connection, loss, destruction versus creation and the old versus the new. There is also one predominant symbol that is vital to the story; most of my readers don't notice it, so let's see if you can figure it out. ^^
Of course, if you just want to read for the sake of reading, that's perfectly fine; enjoy it however you see fit.
As always, comments, criticism, all of it is more than welcome.
Starting Anew
He watched on.
He watched on, stony, blank, left feeling empty by what he saw. Unable to do a thing, unable to find a way to stop the madness.
The sky was filled with crimson clouds, blocking out all the sun's light and casting the world in shadow. Hellish fire rained from the sky, scorching everything in its path. The ground opened up and created gaping chasms, swallowing up anything nearby. Fierce gales swept even the heaviest objects off the ground, sending them crashing down miles away. Huge waves crashed on the shore, flooding areas miles around. Lightning flashed across the blood red sky, illuminating the scene below.
Creatures of every shape and size were running about in panic, trying desperately to escape the natural disasters that took the lives of hundreds every second. The panic was like a disease, spreading like wildfire, affecting humans and Pokémon alike, causing them to scream out in desperation, running as if blind, trampling one another in a mad dash to find nonexistent safety. For this was the state of the entire world, with no single place spared. The flames falling from the heavens ignited whatever they touched, consuming plants, buildings, even living creatures, causing them to burn to the ground. An unnatural fear gripped the heart of every living creature, clouding their minds with single one thought: run. Friends had become enemies, blocking all possible escapes, and in the fear overwhelming their hearts and minds, insanity took its hold, and some even rung the necks of others in the blind chaos. It was mad, and the world no longer made any sense.
And still, they watched, doing nothing to defend the earth which they had been charged to protect. It was now being destroyed, the natural, yet unnatural calamities killing every thing in sight, with none able to hide or protect themselves, not from the disasters, not from each other.
Doom was imminent.
He looked about; he seemed calm, to an almost unnatural extent despite the chaotic scene before his deep, lavender eyes. The creature stood tall and firm despite the appearance of the wiry thin body he had been given, a sickly grey in color, with only a chest plate protecting his weak upper body. Long, bony arms remained at his sides, the hands tipped with balled fingers curled into fists. A thick purple tail swished slowly behind him, like a snake attempting to hypnotize its prey. The creature stood deep in thought, trying to understand what he was seeing, and why he was feeling things he had never before felt.
At first glance, Mewtwo seemed almost unfazed, unaffected by what he saw. But looking deeper, his eyes seemed troubled, and his sharp mind was not at peace, but hard at work solving a puzzle. The clone could not understand why, even as he looked down upon a world that had only caused him pain and suffering, that had taken advantage of him, and that had refused to see him as anything as a tool, why he pitied them so.
"It must be done," the Pokémon announced in a great, booming voice that echoed against the damp cave walls. He spread his grand multicolored wings wide, bright red feathers shining like a million dancing flames. The sharp black eyes of Ho-Oh were upon every creature in the huge cavern, all of whom had gone silent at the phoenix's words.
They ranged in colors and sizes, each representing a different element that kept the world in place, each unique, each treasured and cherished by humans. No two were the same, and just like they were different in appearance, so were their roles in the world different. The one thing they all shared was an aura of power, of dignity, of wisdom and knowledge gained from their countless years of life. Respected, revered, some even feared by mortal creatures, all standing together solemnly.
Now each contemplated the decision, and each couldn't help but feel an intense sense of sorrow. Overwhelming sadness filled the ancient chamber in which the Legendaries had held their Councils, but each was resigned and knew there was no other choice, no way to hide it.
"It must be done," Ho-Oh repeated solemnly, voice reverberating powerfully in the cave, hidden far from mortal eyes. The great phoenix dipped his great head, allowing one, single tear to fall from his ruby red eye. The last tear he would shed, letting go of his love and attachment for the world as it fell to the ground.
The clone had been at the Council, and he knew what would transpire because of it. However, Mewtwo had not spoken up, remaining silent as he watched the other Legendaries each shed a single tear for the world, a pure drop of water falling from each of their eyes. He had remained motionless at the back of the cavern, doing nothing, not once speaking. He had always felt out of place among these god-like creatures, even despite his own power which rivaled most of their own. He had really only been given the privilege to attend the Councils because of his relation to Mew, and it was only because of this similarity in DNA that he had a small say in what was done, smaller than even Latios and his sister. Not to say he was looked down upon; they had been kind to him and welcomed him with open arms, but he knew well that some of the Legendaries were still wary around him.
Sill, in regards to making this decision, Mewtwo had nothing to say. He had thought about what he would do long in advance, and had reached the decision that we would do nothing but watch. After all, he had been created by mortals, so who was he to decide their fate?
Just as he had remained silent at the Council, so he remained silent here. Above the desolation, the fear, the suffering it was harder to understand and believe what was happening below. A nightmarish scene, taking place in a world the Legendaries had breathed life into and that had in turn created him. Was it not ironic that he should stand above the world that had shaped him and watch its destruction? He did hate the humans for what they had done, or he at least hated the individuals – as he had learned, not all humans were vile beings. But all those he had known and had known him were all long gone, having died many years ago, and there were no traces of his creation left. Mewtwo had no attachments left in the world, nothing left to which he could feel a connection down below – not to good, nor to bad.
Yet he still felt an intense sense of pity for them, and felt himself almost mourn with the other Legendary deities. But…why? After all, this, what was transpiring below, was to benefit the Earth: cleansing it, then starting again. What was there to pity, especially in a world that had done nothing but loathe him?
Mewtwo sighed. It still seemed almost…wrong. Was this what the world truly deserved? He truly did not know.
The clone's uneasy thoughts tugged at his mind, but his confusion seemed to reach other ears as well.
A small, cat-like creature sensed Mewtwo's thoughts, even from afar. Her short ears seemed to twitch, and she turned her elegant body, covered in fine pink fur to look at him with a large pair of bright sapphire eyes. Mew turned away from her previous perch and floated over to her clone, giving her long whip-like tail a little flick, the ovular shape at the end swishing.
"You seem troubled, Mewtwo," she said softly in his mind, the words ringing clear and pure as a crystal bell.
He was first taken aback from her approaching him and speaking; until then, they had all been staring below in silence, each lost in their own private thoughts. Still, this was a nice break from the solemnity.
Mewtwo could never help but find it strange how he and Mew seemed to share a bond, connected like no others. Although it was not great, it was still firm, like a rope tied between the two that despite creating a connection between them that allowed even their thoughts to pass between them, still gave them room to be independent creatures. Of course, Mew did share a slight connection to every living being; she was, after all, the Mother of them all. Every living creature was hers, each loved, and each given a blessing by her that fit the individual. Mewtwo suddenly understood that no matter how much this pained the others, Mew was the one who was most affected, and her pain must have run deeper than any other.
Mewtwo hung his head, closing his eyes after his contemplation. "Yes," he finally answered. "Though the reason why eludes me."
Mew nodded solemnly. "That is unlike you, Mewtwo," she said gently. "This is the first time you have felt pity, is it not?"
"Yes, pity…" he repeated softly, more to himself than to Mew. Hr slowly turned back to her. " But it makes no sense. The humans and Pokémon below have given me nothing. Only one has ever brought me anything other than pain, and he is long gone. Not a trace of my existence is left, save a small myth. So why do I…care?"
Mew paused for a moment, then smiled, more to herself than to him, as if remembering a distant memory. "Because life, no matter how small, no matter its importance, no matter its weight in the world, is still…wonderful."
The clone's eyes widened in unexplained shock. The words were words that had always rang gently in his head, like a distant whisper on the wind of his thoughts. No more real than a figment, grounded only by a flash of a memory. But with Mew's words they became persistent suddenly, the always unspoken words seeming real, now, and he could hear them echoing firmly in his mind. "Mew…" he began, but the little Legendary merely smiled and floated away, somersaulting in the air as she left him to his own thoughts once more.
A long breath escaped his lips, and he closed his eyes, blocking out the scene before them. If life was so wonderful, why was this world so full of life being destroyed?
They descended from on high, like a group of angels returning to a god-forsaken earth.
Finally, it was over.
The world looked like it had been ravaged by war. The ground, its once rich, loamy soil was now stained red with blood, covered by lifeless bodies and pieces of debris from trees, buildings, cars, everything and anything was scattered about. Some piles were indistinguishable, the difference between steel, nature and flesh impossible to make out. Small fires still burned in some places, carrying the strong, sickly sweet stench of burnt flesh and metal into the air in thick pillars of black smoke.
The feelings of pain and defeat hung in the dead air, a ghastly stench that would overwhelm any mortal's nostrils. Not to say the Legendaries were unaffected by what they saw: utter grief radiated off each one, the sadness gripping their hearts clear in each set of eyes that surveyed the scene of destruction. A world they themselves had shaped, now destroyed by its own creators. Though they did not show it, each was inwardly weeping over the loss of all that had been, despite the darkness that had taken hold of the world, for it was as if they had each lost their own children.
Ho-Oh's sharp ruby eyes looked over each Legendary present, boring into them intently and sending each a silent message, to which each nodded wordlessly. When they reached the lavender eyes of Mewtwo, holding them and locking them sternly, the clone couldn't help but shudder. In the bird's eyes he could see the pain he had endured from watching the Apocalypse, the intense sadness from seeing the death overwhelming the Legendary. But there was also the will to move on, to keep going, to begin anew. Ho-Oh was willing to lend them his strength, but they had to be willing to take it.
Mewtwo nodded in silent acceptance. He was willing to help.
With a satisfied gleam in his eye, Ho-Oh brought his long, elegant neck upwards, staring straight into the sky, filled with dark clouds blocking out the sun. Firm, resolute, and with utter dedication. The mighty phoenix opened his golden beak wide, and from the very bottom of his heart released a long, mournful cry. The sound was pure and clear, echoing in the still air for a moment as if it was all that existed in the land. A cry that could be heard all across the barren world.
Once the sound began to die away, the world around them seemed to melt, everything on the ground turning into a grey, powdery substance that almost dissolved at the touch. Mewtwo blinked, and upon further inspection found it to be ash. The ashes of the dead world, now all that remained of it.
The clone, however, still did not comprehend. The world, everything the Legendaries had been charged to protect, everything the humans had created, every part of it was gone. Now it was all just a barren wasteland, devoid of anything other than the residue of a cleansing fire. What was there to be done now? Leave the land to rot?
"Et vetera, et nova. From the old comes the new." Mewtwo snapped his head to see who had spoken, his eyes falling on a small green creature with a large, swept back head and short, stubby arms that floated serenely in the air on blue pixie wings. Celebi's deep-sunken sapphire eyes met with Mewtwo's violet ones, and she gave him a small smile.
"Rebuild," she said in almost a whisper. The Time Travel Pokémon closed her eyes, and as the other Legendaries watched her intently, the tips of the two antennae on her head began to glow an electric blue. A great power was emanating off of her, one that each Legendary could feel: this was her greatest strength, drawn from the innermost part of her soul. There was a great rumbling underneath the ground, like a great beast stirring after a long slumber. The clouds in the sky shifted, first losing their red tinge, then slowly dissolving and completely disappearing to reveal a perfectly clear azure blue sky. The sun lit up the world for the first time in days, and it felt as if it was shining brighter than ever before.
Her antennae stopped glowing, and Celebi opened her eyes, a peaceful, content look on her face. She looked calm, though slightly drained and somewhat unstable in the air, smiling slowly.
Mewtwo looked around, unsure of what had just taken place. Did it even make a difference? The world would never be the same, and while he had never loved a world that had hated and shunned him, he still…missed it. He could not explain it, but the world had still meant something to him; now it was all gone, and it would never be back. What was the point in creating and caring so much for a world, then destroying it?
"What is this all for?" Mewtwo asked aloud, a sudden anger in his voice. "Everything is gone! Nothing is left, save memories and ashes! There is no life left!" Didn't they understand?! They had destroyed it, and they couldn't bring it back! It was all for nothing! Even if the world had been evil, consumed by hatred and greed, it had still been full, and there had still been life in it! That should have been enough!
"From the old comes the new. All is not lost," Ho-Oh announced, walking over to the clone, black talons digging into the ground and sending small puffs of ash into the air.
"Look." Ho-Oh spread a great, rainbow-colored wing, gesturing to Suicune. The beast of the Northern winds nodded to the phoenix in understanding, the huge crystal mounted atop her head shimmering in the light of the sun. She gave Mewtwo a gentle smile with her white muzzle, then with one blue-furred paw Suicune brushed away a layer of ash on the ground, revealing underneath a single bud with two tiny leaves barely poking out of the ground. As the ashes were brushed into the air, the young plant's leaves unfurled, welcoming the sun and soaking in its rays for the first time.
"The world shall be rebuilt, Mewtwo. It will never be the same, but it shall still be beautiful and unique. All will be well once again," Ho-Oh explained gently, a small smile dancing on his lips. "And even you shall have a place among this new world."
Mewtwo's eyes widened, and he saw the offer he was being made. To be accepted, not as a clone, not as a shadow, but to have a true place in the world and be accepted for the first time in his life. That was, in a way, what he had always wanted, but did that mean he would lose his identity, and no longer be Mewtwo? Would he have to become something he wasn't? Lose his name and have his past erased as if it never mattered? Or did he still wish to be naught but a mere copy? To remain in shadow, separated from a world unlike himself? What would it mean, how could he be Mewtwo, but leave behind his suffering and loneliness?
After a long moment of thought, Mewtwo finally spoke with carefully-chosen words, closing his eyes and imagining what this new world would be.
"Life…is wonderful. And now I can be a part of it; but as none but myself." And he would be content.
