Pokemon: Radical Redux

The name was clear as day. On the screen, it showed that third place was Yui, meaning Brock had lost.

As the crowd started clapping and cheering, Yui raised her arm in victory, taking a deep breath she had been holding in for a long time. She was relieved—this was what she had wanted since she was little. It didn't matter that she placed third; what mattered was that she had secured a partnership deal with the league.

But then she stopped and looked at Brock, her gaze softening slightly. Since she had won, Brock had lost, and it had been really close. She felt bad. Seeing Brock's downturned expression made her think she had just shattered all his dreams.

Just as she was about to say something, maybe offer a word or two, Brock looked up, smiled, and laughed as he clapped for her too.

"Well, I guess the best Breeder won, didn't she?"

Yui was slightly taken aback and covered her face.

"Psh, whatever," she mumbled as the celebration continued. "I'm surprised you're not more upset now that you're a loser. I won, so that means I'm the better Breeder. I guess you'll just have to wait for the next one."

"No, I'm not upset. You helped me realize something. This Breeding competition stuff—it isn't for me. I don't want the easy solution. I want to do this my own way," Brock said with a grin as he took a step back, leaving her to stand on the third-place podium.

—-

A while later, after people had started funneling out of the stadium and some of the competitors had begun leaving, Brock walked out of the main area and saw Ash, Misty, Yellow, and Lyra sitting in the lobby waiting for him.

Brock walked over, waving them down. "Hey guys, sorry, I guess I didn't end up winning, huh?"

Yellow seemed more concerned for Brock. "Hey, Brock, are you sure you're okay? You did lose and all…"

"Yellow, I'm fine. I think I'm better than I have been in a few months," Brock said, looking toward Ash. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"

Ash grinned. "You got me. A little thing Whitney told us after you left—when she offered to tell you, but you refused. She told us that only people who put their complete heart into it will succeed."

"Wait, I'm confused," Lyra said, raising her hand. "So was he not giving it everything?"

"I guess I wasn't," Brock admitted. "I've just been kinda weird as of late. But I understand what I really want. If I'm going to be a Breeder, I'm not taking the easy way. I'm going to do it my way."

Then Brock smirked and flicked Ash's Keystone back to him with his thumb. "I think you taught me that one."

"No problem, my dude. Just means you're stuck with us a little bit longer~" Ash said as he caught the stone.

"Wait, you gave him your Keystone?" Misty asked. "No fair! Why don't you ever let me use that?"

"How about you find out what that Mega Stone you have is for, and then I'll let you borrow it? 'Cause I ain't giving you my Gyaradosite," Ash said, playfully pushing her back.

Then Suzie finally made her way over, having been separated from the people asking for autographs. She ran up to Brock.

"Hey, how are you feeling? I'm sorry you didn't end up winning."

"No, I'm okay, really. But congratulations on getting first place, you deserve it," Brock said with a smile, and Vulpix looked up at her again.

Suzie knelt down and patted Vulpix's fur. "I know you did your best to help Brock, but you can't always win. Just be sure to keep helping him from now on."

Brock looked slightly conflicted. "I know you said it's okay, but are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to—"

"Really, I'm sure. Vulpix made her choice, so I trust her. But I meant what I said—monthly calls or I will find you," Suzie said with a giggle. "I guess I'll just go back to my salon and keep learning."

Brock nodded, but just as he was about to say something, a voice suddenly yelled, "HEY YOU!"

They all turned to see Yui marching over, and this time, she was headed straight for Brock—not Ash. Brock's eyes lit up with excitement as he stumbled over his words.

"Yes, my dear Yui, are you here to ask me to run away with you?"

Misty and Ash slapped their faces as Yui blushed slightly, gritted her teeth, and kept walking closer. Brock opened his arms, ready to embrace her in a hug as he closed his eyes-

SMACK!

A slap sent Brock spinning through the air for a solid five seconds before he crashed onto the ground. He groaned, rubbing his cheek.

"What did I do this time?" he muttered.

Yui huffed and held out a piece of paper. Brock looked confused as he took it, while Yui scoffed.

"You better not give up, baka, or I'll find you myself," she said with a huff before walking off.

Everyone watched as she exited through the doors. Once she was gone, all eyes turned to Brock as he unfolded the paper.

On it was a phone number.

"She gave him her number?" Yellow asked, tilting her head.

"She gave him her number?!" Misty repeated, this time in complete disbelief.

"…She gave me her number…" Brock murmured, trying to process it.

Ash grinned, slinging an arm around Brock's shoulders and pulling him up.

"Way to go, my boy! You got her number! You didn't fumble!"

"Yeah… yeah, I did!" Brock said, standing up with newfound confidence. "And you know what? I think I'll call her right n—"

WHAM!

Misty ran up and drop-kicked him mid-sentence, "WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BROCK!" she shouted as she sent him flying.

As Brock crashed onto the floor, Ash calmly took the note from his hand and slipped it into his pocket.

"Come on, dude. Three-day rule, bro. I'll give it back to you later."

"Fair…" Brock groaned, dizzy with spirals in his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath.

Suzie leaned down toward Yellow and whispered, "Is… is that normal?"

"I think so, but I'm still trying to get used to it myself," Yellow whispered back.

Ash helped Brock stand and smirked. "Well, since this is all settled, there's only one thing left to do. My boy here didn't win the competition, but he did get a girl's number. That is cause for celebration~"

"You don't have to say it like that," Brock mumbled.

"No, no, he's right. This is a special occasion," Misty said, nodding with her arms crossed.

Ash nodded as he dragged Brock behind him. "Come on, Yellow, let's stop for cake too."

"Ooh, cake!" Yellow said happily, quickly following behind. She paused to wave at Suzie as the group left with Brock in tow.

Suzie just giggled and waved them goodbye.

—-

{In Unova}

Mewtwo had just finished relocating the last of the cloned Pokémon. He knew it wouldn't be fair to keep them all secluded on an island, away from the world. They hadn't asked to be created; he had made them.

So, he had spread them out across the world, giving them a chance to live among other Pokémon, rather than in isolation. Unlike them, Mewtwo remained alone.

Now that his task was complete, he found himself wondering what to do next.

As he soared through the sky, he thought about Amber's words—how she had told him to live and to help others live. But he didn't know how. She had said life was beautiful, yet he struggled to see it that way. To him, life was loneliness. Life was pain.

The closest he had come to fulfilling Amber's wish was when he had saved a little girl and an old man. But if he was honest with himself, he had only done it because the girl reminded him of Amber.

Lost in thought, Mewtwo didn't sense the danger until it was too late.

A sharp sting shot through his back. He had been hit.

Whipping around, he spotted the source—two Escavalier and a Tyranitar standing beside a man clad in a jumpsuit resembling a Tyranitar's armor, Dirk.

Dirk smirked. "Looks like I finally found you. Team Rocket's offering a pretty penny for your capture, so I intend to cash in." He pressed a button on his gauntlet, and a swarm of robotic drones rose into the air.

"They even made me a little present to help," he sneered. "So, you'll be coming with me."

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes.

First, he had to deal with this annoyance.

—-

[Elsewhere]

Virgil was a Pokémon Ranger in training, working alongside his Eevee Squad—a team consisting of every Eeveelution, except for Sylveon (for now).

Normally, he was with his father and brother, but he had ventured out on his own to gain more experience. Along the way, he had collected badges and even competed in the Vertress Conference, though, unfortunately, he hadn't won.

At the moment, Virgil was resting near the home of a kind old man and his granddaughter.

Adjusting his goggles, he stepped out of his rescue chopper, surveying the peaceful mountain village ahead.

The old man and his granddaughter were named Oscar and Anna. Oscar had once been a Pokémon Ranger before retiring, and while he acted tough with Virgil, it was only because he knew how dangerous the job could be. He had seen too many young rangers lose their lives on missions they shouldn't have taken.

As Virgil worked on making repairs, Anna eagerly offered them some food. Though Oscar grumbled that she shouldn't, he did subtly mention that he had recently bought more Pokémon food.

Virgil gratefully accepted. "Thanks a bunch, we were starving," he laughed.

"Ve!" Team Eevee chimed in unison, happily digging into their meal.

"You know, Grandpa used to be a ranger just like you," Anna said as she stroked Eevee's fur. "But he's retired now—he's too old for that kind of work."

"Really? That makes you my predecessor," Virgil said, saluting Oscar with respect.

Oscar shook his head, rocking in his chair. "That was a long time ago. My time has come and gone," he said, gently scratching his old Stoutland's head.

Anna giggled. "I'll say! Last time, you were the one who had to be rescued, Grandpa."

"Really?" Virgil asked, intrigued. "What happened?"

Anna glanced at Oscar as if asking for permission. When he gave a slight nod, she turned back to Virgil. "Well, a little while ago, we met a Pokémon. We were out hiking when we fell, but this Pokémon saved us. The thing is… we'd never seen anything like it before. Even Grandpa didn't recognize it."

Virgil's eyes widened. "A Pokémon no one's seen before and it rescued you? That's incredible. I'd love to meet it—maybe even ask if it wants to join my rescue team," he chuckled.

Just as he lifted his sandwich for another bite, the ground suddenly trembled beneath them.

A massive explosion erupted from the forest, sending Pokémon fleeing in terror.

"What in the world?!" Oscar said in his gruff voice, quickly getting to his feet.

Virgil's expression turned serious as Team Eevee snapped to attention. "It sounds like a battle—but whatever's happening, it's way too dangerous! If this keeps up, it could destroy the entire forest!"

"We have to do something!" Oscar said, taking a determined step forward. But his body was no longer as strong as it once was.

Virgil tried to stop him. "I'll go alone. You shouldn't push yourself—"

Oscar shot him a sharp glare. "Do you think my age makes me helpless?"

Virgil flinched slightly under the intensity of his gaze.

"I'm going too," Anna declared.

Oscar and Virgil both turned to her in unison. "Absolutely not!" they said at the same time.

"Please!" Anna pleaded. "The Pokémon in that forest are my friends! And… I think the one fighting might be the same Pokémon that saved us. I have to go!"

Oscar narrowed his eyes at her, ready to refuse. But before he could, Stoutland nudged him gently, its wise eyes filled with understanding.

The old ranger sighed. "Fine. But if it gets too dangerous, we leave. No arguments. Understood?"

Anna nodded firmly. "Understood. Now let's go—before it's too late!"

As Oscar and Anna took off running, Virgil turned to his Eevee Squad, shrugged, and then sprinted after them.

As they reached the forest, they were immediately greeted by a loud crash—Tyranitar had been sent flying into a tree beside them. Despite the impact, the massive Pokémon remained standing, shaking off the blow.

Looking ahead, they spotted Mewtwo darting through the battlefield, effortlessly dodging a swarm of hovering drones that fired power-nullifying rays at him. Two Escavalier flanked him, launching rapid-fire Energy Balls in an attempt to corner him.

On a nearby cliff, Virgil's eyes narrowed as he recognized the man standing there, Dirk, a known Pokémon Hunter. Hunting Pokémon wasn't illegal in itself, but independent hunters were. Any legal hunter had to be partnered with the Pokémon League, and Dirk definitely wasn't. Virgil knew that for certain, there was a huge bounty on this guy's head.

As Mewtwo teleported into the air, the drones quickly recalibrated, locking onto his psychic signature and firing again. This time, they deployed a net.

Mewtwo raised his arms, summoning sharp, glowing [Psycho Cut] blades, and slashed through the net before swinging his attack downward at the Escavalier.

Dirk smirked and pressed a button on his gauntlet. "Tyranitar, intercept."

Tyranitar roared and leaped into the air, taking the Psycho Cut head-on. The attack had no direct effect due to its Dark typing, but the sheer force behind it still left a noticeable impact, making Tyranitar stagger for a moment.

"Now, Escavalier, [Iron Head]!"

Both Escavalier charged forward, their metallic lances gleaming as they attempted to slam into Mewtwo.

But Mewtwo merely raised a psychic barrier, effortlessly blocking their assault.

That, however, had been part of Dirk's plan.

The drones took the opportunity to swoop in from behind and fired another round of energy blasts. Mewtwo quickly shifted his barrier to block them, but as the rays hit, the barrier flickered slightly.

Virgil clenched his fists. He could see what was happening, those blasts weren't meant to damage Mewtwo, they were designed to disable his powers, even if only temporarily.

"We need to help him!" Virgil shouted. His gaze locked onto Tyranitar. "Eevee Squad, take down Tyranitar!"

At once, his entire team sprang into action.

Eevee, Vaporeon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Flareon, and Jolteon all stood in formation and unleashed a combined barrage of attacks. Streams of water, flames, electricity, psychic energy, and icy blasts all crashed into Tyranitar at once.

Tyranitar braced itself, roaring in defiance as the attacks struck, but the sheer force finally made him stumble.

Dirk scowled, his attention shifting. "Well, what do we have here? Some loser Ranger playing hero?" His voice dripped with mockery. "I'm not doing anything illegal, am I? Mewtwo's a wild Pokémon, after all."

Virgil's glare hardened. "That doesn't matter. You are an unlicensed Hunter, and you're using unregistered special equipment, technology I've never seen before. You can explain yourself now, or I will take you in."

"So… Mewtwo is its name," Anna murmured, watching Mewtwo fight.

Dirk scoffed. "Typical." He snapped his fingers. "Tyranitar."

Tyranitar roared and swung its massive tail in a wide arc, sending the entire Eevee Squad flying backward. The team landed on their feet but looked shaken.

Dirk sneered. "You're so weak."

Then his smirk darkened. "Whatever. Tyranitar, get rid of them. All of them." His eyes glinted dangerously. "Can't have any witnesses stealing my prize."

Even though Dirk was cocky, Mewtwo was fine—he hadn't taken any meaningful damage. The only reason he hadn't used his immense power to crush Dirk like an insect was simple: he had made a promise. He would never take a life.

But then, as he glanced down, his eyes widened.

Tyranitar loomed over the three humans below, its massive frame casting a shadow over them. And among them—there she was. The girl.

The one he had saved. The one who reminded him of Amber.

Something inside Mewtwo snapped.

He had to protect her.

His psychic abilities didn't work well on Dark-types, but he didn't care. He would use that power if he had to.

Mewtwo gritted his teeth, a deep growl escaping his throat as his body began to glow. Energy surged through him, his form expanding, his muscles bulging, until he emerged as his towering Mega Mewtwo X form.

Gasps echoed through the battlefield as everyone watched in shock, but the moment was short-lived.

Mewtwo lunged. His elongated arms stretched unnaturally, extending like they were made of rubber, wrapping around Tyranitar's massive body. With a sharp pull, he launched Tyranitar skyward, sending it spinning before slamming it back down with earth-shattering force.

The Escavalier charged, lances gleaming as they aimed for him.

Mewtwo spun in midair, effortlessly dodging their attacks before snapping out his arms. He grabbed both Escavalier by their spears and smashed them together, sending them tumbling.

As they struggled to recover, the hovering drones repositioned, encircling Mewtwo once again. Their energy cannons powered up, preparing to fire.

But Mewtwo didn't give them the chance.

His body flared with light once more as his form shifted again. His head elongated, his body grew slimmer, and in an instant, he had transformed into Mega Mewtwo Y.

Raising a single hand, Mewtwo clenched his fingers.

BOOM!

The drones exploded in unison. But rather than letting the debris scatter, he contained the blast in a controlled sphere of energy, letting it fade harmlessly into the air.

Dirk's confidence shattered. He scrambled to recall his Pokémon, reaching for their Poké Balls in desperation, planning his escape.

But before he could act, Mewtwo teleported in front of him.

Dirk froze. Stumbling backward, he fumbled his grip, and the Poké Balls slipped from his grasp, hitting the ground.

Mewtwo raised a hand, his eyes glowing with raw psychic force. The three Poké Balls floated into the air. With a mere thought, he crushed them.

Tyranitar and the Escavalier, now free, exchanged glances. Then, without hesitation, they turned and simply walked away. They had never cared about Dirk, he was nothing to them.

Now, only Dirk remained.

Mewtwo lifted him effortlessly with his powers. The thought crossed his mind—he could end this pathetic man right now. A part of him wanted to.

But then he saw her, Anna.

For a fleeting moment, she became Amber in his mind. Innocent. Kind. Someone who believed life was beautiful.

Mewtwo exhaled slowly.

With a flick of his wrist, he threw Dirk at their feet, letting him collapse in a heap before them. Then, without another word, Mewtwo's body shimmered as he returned to his base form. He hovered there, silent, looking at them one last time.

And then, He was gone.

Leaving nothing but silence in his wake.

—-

A few hours later, everything had been sorted out. Virgil had called the police, and Dirk was now in custody.

Virgil sat on a rock, watching as Team Eevee licked their wounds. Even after all this time training together, just one attack from that Tyranitar had left them battered.

Anna and Oscar approached, carrying more medicine. Anna knelt beside them, concern was written all over her face.

"Will they be alright?" she asked softly.

Virgil accepted the medicine with a grateful nod. "Yeah, they'll be fine. They just need some rest."

Oscar crossed his arms, watching the Eeveelutions carefully. "Your team took a real beating. Maybe this shows you're not as tough as you think you are."

Virgil chuckled, though he knew Oscar wasn't saying it to mock him. "Yeah, you're right. We do need to get stronger." He looked down at his first partner, Eevee, who let out a weak but determined "Vee~."

Anna tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Virgil exhaled, placing a hand on Eevee's head. "I mean... it's time." He smiled. "Eevee's going to evolve."

Anna gasped. "Really?! But you already have every Eeveelution, what will you evolve Eevee into?"

Virgil grinned. "Sylveon."

Eevee gave a tired but enthusiastic nod. "Vee~!"

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "A Sylveon, huh? Well, I can't say I know much about that. That's a Kalos thing."

Virgil laughed. "Yeah, I know. That's kind of the problem, I don't really know how to make it happen." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "That's why we haven't done it yet."

Anna frowned slightly. "Then... how are you going to do it?"

Virgil's grin widened. "I'm going to Johto."

Anna's eyes widened. "Johto?"

Virgil nodded. "I'm going to meet the Kimono Girls. And while I'm there.." He clenched his fist, determination burning in his eyes. "I'll start my new training."

----

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