« What are you saying, Metal ?
_ I said that he improves himself in an amazing manner. At the last training, he 
came over his pre-established physical limits, he even learned the Rage ! Miss 
Victoria, he’s about to reveal his psy power, but we need a high-profile test to 
see what he’s really got !
_ Okay. I think I have an idea… »

	Saffron City was the commercial center of Kanto. In the suburbs, there was 
the arena, more known as Saffron Dojo. The old master was ready to retire, 
leaving the arena and the Marsh Badge to his son. But they were now in a 
critical status: the Elite Four estimated they were too weak to deserve the 
champion title. So they took contact with Giovanni and the League to make an 
agreement: the Badge and the Saffron Arena would be the first prize of a combat 
pokemon tournament organized and sponsored by Giovanni himself. The two karate 
masters were sure to win, but they didn’t know what the Rocket leader had in 
mind…

	The day after, in Cinnabar, Mewtwo and his brother ( they now considered 
themselves as brothers ) were invited at Victoria’s to talk about « something 
important ». It was a nice villa near the cottage. Victoria led them to the 
living room, where a pretty blue-haired teenage girl was waiting.
« This is my daughter, Sabrina. Sabrina, here are Mewtwo and Metal-Mewtwo. »
She invited them to sit and served the tea. Then she said seriously:
« Okay, Mewtwo and Sabrina, you’re the ones concerned. We talked about this with 
Metal and decided it was a good idea.
_ What’s it ?
_ In two weeks, in Saffron City, will take place the CPT.
_ The CPT ?
_ The Combat Pokemon Tournament. It’s a great tournament sponsored by the Boss. 
It will be a huge event, transmitted in all TV channels all around the country. 
The winner will get the prestigious title of Saffron Champion, a title 
officially recognized by the Pokemon League. Mewtwo, we’ve subscribed you as a 
competitor.
_ Me ? But I can’t !
_ Why ?
_ According to the rules of an official match, any pokemon competitor must have 
a trainer.
_ That’s why Sabrina is here. She’s subscribed as your official trainer. »
Sabrina couldn’t believe her eyes. She was a young trainer who had always dreamt 
about fame but there… if she won, she would be an official champion ! Metal 
said:
« I’ll coach you for this tournament.
_ You won’t compete ?
_ No. I have nothing to prove.
_ What are the rules ?
_ It’s a combat tournament, answered Victoria. Only combat pokemons are allowed, 
so no special attack. Each trainer must have only one pokemon to compete, so 
they have to choose their best. Pokemons may be healed between the matches. A 
defeat is a direct elimination. The tournament ends when there’s a last man 
standing. It will be hard, and plus, I’ve learned that Le Français will compete. 
He’s an excellent trainer, almost undefeated. »

	The new spread into the island like a powder trail, and for the next two 
weeks, their training was turned into media event. When they took their ferry to 
Vermilion City, the port was full of fans singing. Even the champion, August, 
came to wish them luck. The ferry left at 10:00 pm, and would arrive on tomorrow 
noon. In the early morning, a few people were up, those who were too nervous to 
sleep.
Mewtwo was over-excited ! Each mile towards Vermilion Port excited him more !
« Metal, ain’t it wonderful ? We’re gonna be superstars !
_ Yeah. Follow me, I think I have an idea… »
They went to the front bridge, where trainers were comparing their pokemons. 
Metal screamed:
« What a bunch of moreons ! So you have nothing interesting to do but dreaming 
about victory ? »
They were watching at them, saying things like: « Hey, they are suicidal or what 
? ». They felt so insulted that they didn’t realize those two were speaking 
pokemons.
Finally, one of them sent a Blaziken, the other a Machoke, and the last sent a 
Tyrogue.
Mewtwo came in front of them. Blaziken threw a spinning kick and moved on with a 
double kick and a Comet Punch combo. The clone parried everything and countered 
with a jab that the fire pokemon blocked. Mewtwo twisted his opponent’s arm and 
jabbed him in the face. At this moment, the two other pokemons decided to take 
part in the fight. They surrounded Mewtwo and sent an avalanche of punches, but 
the clone parried and countered everything. He even managed to break free with a 
Mawashi-Geri. 
The Blaziken grabbed Mewtwo’s arm and threw him away, but he gripped to the 
guardrail of the bridge, swang around it, and threw a dropkick that smashed the 
fire pokemon against the wall. Machoke and Tyrogue were furious, but their 
attacks were vain: they soon got smashed against the wall too. Match result: 3-0 
for Mewtwo.
« Good job, said Metal. You see, that’s the way you’ll have to fight during the 
tournament, but in a normal match, you can use special skills.
_ I have no special skills.
_ Of course you have ! Watch this ! »
Metal-Mewtwo began a match against a fourth trainer. The trainer sent a Seadra. 
Easy match, thought the cybernetic.
« Seadra, attack Ice Beam ! »
Metal crossed his arms in front of his face and waited for the beam. Once it was 
finished, the mechanic pokemon held up his arm and a cannon appeared from his 
forearm.
What the ?
A gigantic blue and red flame leaped out of the cannon and roasted the Seadra 
instantly. 
It was the Flamethrower attack ! 
The black skin was already dry: the ice had turned into steam at contact.
The trainer sent his last pokemon: a Pinsir.
Metal-Mewtwo made two laser blades appear from the back of his wrists and threw 
a Sword Dance attack that crashed the pokemon’s pincer. Match result: 2-0 for 
Metal-Mewtwo.
« You know what I mean, now ?
_ It’s different. You’re a machine. Those attacks are weapons integrated to your 
armor.
_ There’s no difference. You have weapons integrated, but they’re in your head.
_ What do you mean ?
_ You are a psy. It means that the two thirds of your strength are in your mind. 
All I did, you can do. You can create a flame by concentrating. You can do 
attacks much more devastating, such as the Psycho. Your weakness is that you 
only know the emerged part of the iceberg, and you don’t wanna dive to see the 
other part. If you don’t believe in your powers, you’ll never be the ultimate 
pokemon.
_ I…
_ But I don’t want immediate results. I know it’s impossible. You’ll get that 
with experience. But I want you to keep that in mind. Okay ?
_ Okay.
_ Good. We’ll arrive in a few hours. The tournament begins tomorrow. I suggest 
you to rest a max. I’ll stay with those trainers, for the fun. »
Mewtwo got inside the boat. As he closed the door, he could hear the noise of a 
new fight beginning.
He wanted to talk to Sabrina. As he headed to her room, he met a tall man, very 
muscular, in camo pants, rangers, and a black slipover. He had semi-long hair 
and a beard. That was the kind of guy who sweat testosterona instead of water.
« Hey, was that you, mec, who just fought over there ?
_ Yes, I was training. My name’s Mewtwo.
_ Here, I’m known as Le Français. Alors, looking for a challenge ?
_ I will compete at the Saffron CPT. I was told about you. You’re going there 
too, right ?
_ Tout à fait. And I do intend to get the title ! So I’ll meet you there. Bye 
! »
Le Français got away but before, he turned back and said:
« Bonne chance ! »

	Mewtwo still didn’t understand why no-one was shocked about him speaking. 
He didn’t know that telepathy was a fluent thing with psy pokemons, even if they 
didn’t use it often. He went to Sabrina’s room. She was in bed, dressed in 
pajamas, but she wasn’t sleeping. When she saw him enter, she invited him to sit 
next to her.
« Can’t sleep ? He asked.
_ No. Too nervous. And you ? How do you feel ?
_ Excited. I just had a warm-up with Metal. You should watch him ! He’s 
incredible !
_ Yeah. He says that when you’ll be more experienced, you’ll be like him.
_ I hope so. Tell me, how do you think it’s going to be ?
_ I don’t know. But I have a feeling that it will be a living hell.
_ We’ll do our best. »
She sat up and tried to give him a cuddle. But when her thin fingers gently 
touched him, he had a start.
« What’s going on ?
_ I don’t know. When you touched me, I had a weird feeling… »
She had a devil smile. 
« Oh, so you’re ticklish… »
She jumped on him and they had a tickle-fight that finished to a draw.
The ferry arrived at Vermilion Port at midday.

	At the port, there was a black Limousine. They got on it and met a tall 
man in an Italian suit.
« Good morning, ladies, he said. And here are the twins, finally together: 
Mewtwo and Metal-Mewtwo.
_ You are the Boss ?
_ Yes, Mewtwo, but I’m more known as Giovanni. So, Metal, how does he progress ?
_ Great. He has no special attacks yet but he could defeat any opponents on the 
ring.
_ Glad to hear that. Mewtwo, you think you can handle it ? »
The clone looked at Sabrina.
« We’ll try… »

	They arrived in Saffron City, with it’s huge skyscrapers and it’s horrible 
traffic. They had lunch at an Italian restaurant, and Giovanni said that they 
had all the afternoon for themselves. They just had to be at Palace Hotel for 
7:00 pm.
The twins were talking about what they should do when Sabrina grabbed them by 
the arm:
« Thanks God, you’re here ! I need you two, guys !
_ For what ?
_ For shopping, of course ! »
What a great afternoon it will be…

	The restaurant and the dancing hall of the Palace were crowded. It was a 
party organized for the CPT competitors. Metal left them and went to dance with 
a group of pretty Cerlueanian girls ( as he says himself, even a cybernetic may 
have fun ). Mewtwo and his trainer were trying to find Giovanni and Victoria’s 
table, when a young body-builded man invited Sabrina for a drink.
« No, thanks.
_ Come on, just a drink !
_ Thanks but… I’m waited.
_ Oh, come on ! Or maybe a dance ?
_ I am not interested !
_ Don’t play the bitch ! »
Mewtwo decided to interfere:
« She said she’s not interested. It means get the fuck off now !
_ What’s that ? A pokemon ? You try to interfere in human’s stories, guy, you 
will regret that ! »
He sent a Hitmonlee to fight. The ninja pokemon threw a high kick that Mewtwo 
blocked easily. A security guy came and told them to stop fighting in a second, 
or they’d be booted out of the place.
« OK, said the guy, then we’ll wait tomorrow. And I promise I’ll get you. »
He recalled his pokemon and got away. Sabrina kissed her pokemon on the cheek.
« Thanks, Mewty, that was cute. »
Mewty… nice nickname…  

	They finally found the table and sat to have a drink. They were talking 
about anything when…
« Macaroni ! »
Giovanni turned back when he heard his old nickname. Le Français was there, 
watching him with hatred. The Rocket leader got up and took a huge Cuban cigar.
« What a pleasant surprise ! You want a smoke ?
_ Vire-moi ce barreau de chaise avant que je t’en fasse un suppositoire que 
t’allumeras par les naseaux !
_ What a vulgarity ! In your mothertongue ! Aren’t you ashamed ?
_ My mother spoke like that. Héritage familial.
_ I see… so, how are you ?
_ And you dare asking me that, after what you did to me ?
_ What are you talking about ?
_ I’m talking about that « coup fumant » in Naples.
_ But it was twenty years ago.
_ Twenty-one years, six months, fourteen days and nine hours. We shared the sum 
equally, you remember ? You took the fifteen million dollars and I took the 
fifteen years jail ! Alors un conseil, mon pote, surveille tes arrières parce 
que je raterai pas une occasion de te baiser. »
Then he approached Mewtwo and told him discreetly:
« De toi à moi: you deserve much better. »
Then he got away. Giovanni sat down and said:
« Don’t worry about that fool. He can’t even speak in proper English !
_ I was told he is a competitor.
_ He is, Mewtwo.
_ Some say he is very good.
_ Yes, but who can beat you ?
_ Metal can.
_ It’s not his purpose. You’re meant to be partners, not foes. You’ll never 
fight each other. »
Mewtwo was about to reply, but he decided to shut up. He respected his older 
brother, but deep inside himself, he heard a voice saying that Giovanni was 
wrong…