Wanderer of the Pokémon World

Chapter 269: Burdens of the Gifted

Xiu turned to Daisy, his expression unreadable after the display of power from the back mountain. "Good morning,"

"Where's Grandpa?" Daisy asked, looking towards the forest. "Didn't he come out this way a long time ago?"

"Oh, the Doctor was invited by Nurse Joy to give a lecture in Viridian City," Xiu explained, fabricating a plausible reason for Oak's departure. "He was in a hurry, so he didn't have time to tell you." He then turned as if to leave.

"That's it? You're not lying to me?" Daisy asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I originally wanted to go with him," Xiu said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "But the Doctor asked me to stay and take care of you and Gary. I lost such an opportunity to meet some bigwigs. Do you think I should be laughing?"

Daisy looked at him, clearly trying to decipher his true intentions. Her momentary confusion gave Xiu the chance to turn and walk away.

He spent the morning going through his usual routines, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying everything he knew about Mewtwo, trying to find a weakness. 

It's no use, he concluded after a while. Only those at the same level can fight against Mewtwo.

Its starting point is just different. It's a product of human technology and fantasy, its psychic powers making it almost omnipotent. 

If there was a weakness, it was its developing human nature, something Giovanni had exploited. But how could he exploit that?

This Mewtwo, unburdened by a group of cloned Pokémon, its humanity not yet awakened, was arguably in its strongest, most dangerous state.

The only way to stop it would be to find another legendary, like Mew, Ho-Oh, or Lugia. And without the protagonist's luck, where would I find them?

"Fuck!" Xiu muttered. Professor Oak is walking into a slaughter. And I'm the one who pushed him. He felt a surge of guilt.

If he hadn't told Professor Oak, he might not have contacted Nurse Joy and wouldn't have been invited to Viridian.

No, even if I hadn't said anything, someone would have summoned him eventually.

The result was the same, but his intervention had undeniably influenced the process. He didn't regret warning Oak, but a feeling of irritability and unease settled over him.

He knew this was beyond his control now. All he could do was fulfill Oak's request and look after Gary and Daisy.

Later, Xiu was trying to focus on his research notes when a bottle of water arced through the air. He caught it reflexively and looked up to see Daisy approaching.

"Thank you," he said, opening it and taking a drink.

"What's wrong with you?" Daisy asked, sitting down beside him. "You've looked listless all day."

"When you were studying," Xiu replied casually, "didn't you ever encounter a difficult problem that required a lot of thought to solve?"

"No," Daisy said seriously, shaking her head. "When I encounter a problem I can't figure out, I just stop thinking about it." Then she smiled, her expression changing.

Xiu was used to her eccentric personality. "You were born into a privileged situation," he complained lightly. "You can afford to do that. You don't have to worry about food even if you stay home.

But I can't. If I don't solve my problems, I might not have food to eat tomorrow."

He didn't get an answer. He turned to look at Daisy, but she was just staring into the distance. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Hmm," Daisy replied softly, nothing more.

Xiu felt a moment of panic. Did my teasing go too far? 

"Let me tell you a story," Daisy, however, began telling a story. "Once upon a time, there was a child who had a magical power. She could communicate with Pokémon, have conversations with them..."

As Daisy spoke, Xiu understood. She was born different, able to hear the voices of Pokémon, but was ostracized for it. She learned to hide her ability, living the life her parents set for her.

With her younger brother's birth, a genius, he attracted all the attention, and she faded into the background.

"Alas," Xiu sighed when she finished. "There are many people in this world with special abilities, but most are unknown to ordinary people." He paused, looking at Abra and Scizor.

"It's the same for Pokémon. Their special abilities don't always bring them benefits; sometimes they bring disadvantages." He wasn't surprised Daisy could understand Pokémon; abilities like that were known, if rare. He could do it himself, with Abra's help.

"Sometimes I'm just too tired," Daisy whispered.

Xiu closed his eyes, lying back on the grass. Even after all this time, I still haven't fully adapted to this world. Too many strange things. 

"Then I will tell you a story," he said, opening his eyes and looking at Daisy. "There was a child who lost his parents when he was three. He was sent to an orphanage before he understood anything.

He never went to school and no one cared. The orphanage was divided by strength; fighting was common. The skinny boy could only hide and survive on leftovers, until an opportunity came..." He lay down again, squinting. "In the end, we're quite different— you and I. I live for myself. You live for others and their expectations."

"Really?" Daisy turned to look at him. "If you really lived for yourself, you wouldn't have Abra, Scizor, or Happiny with you. You wouldn't even care for Xiaochun."

Xiu was silent for a moment, then closed his eyes again. She's not wrong, he thought. 

But she doesn't understand the full picture.