--

Without turning to the newcomer, Neil spoke nonchalantly from Harper's own seat, "That'll be all, Harper."

Bowing slightly, Harper exited his office, then gently closed the door behind himself.

"Take a seat, Jared."

Slightly nervous, Jared sat down.

Finally turning to Jared, Neil spoke while reading off a piece of paper, "You were rescued, but lost your memories, and you have lived in Alola for more than a month. You have competed to become a sponsored trainer and narrowly lost, and this is most of the relevant information we have on you..."

Neil narrowed his eyes and continued, "Do you find anything off about what I've told you?"

Jared thought for a moment then replied, "No sir, your information is accurate."

Shaking his head, Neil brought his eyes back to the piece of paper, "That is the problem, we have looked into your past, and there are no traces whatsoever. It's like you appeared out of thin air..."-

(Well... I kind of did.)

-"Can you explain to me why this is the case?"

"Sorry sir, I really don't know anything more than you do..." Jared then added, "I could... I mean, you can confirm this with a natu."

Standing up, Neil pulls a pokeball out of his pocket, "No need"

Neil tapped the pokeball twice, and Jared is surprised when a five-foot-tall alakazam appears.

Inspecting the pokemon, Jared couldn't help but mutter the word, potential.

Before his eyes, the alakazam lit up. Although the color favored emerald, there were traces of silver.

Ignoring the awestruck Jared, Neil commanded, "Alakazam, send us off."

.

In a lavish room, three people were arguing around a large table. The room was massive, so the single table placed in the center seemed a bit out of place.

A red face man argued, "The specimen is a lost cause, is losing a team of elite officers not enough?"

A seductive woman replied passive-aggressively, "Maybe you should go and complain to the boss, I'm sure he will be happy to know his *ever* reliable executive is unwilling to obey him."

With a reddened face, the man was about to retort but he ate his words when Jared, Neil, and Alakazam suddenly teleported in, so he just snorted, and turned his head.

A different man with a long beard greeted in a mocking tone, "Welcome *team leader,* we were just discussing the mission."

Neil took his seat at one side of the table before replying, "Rilo, do you want to make a mockery of us before a grunt?"

Rilo chuckled while stroking his beard, "You personally went to pick up this grunt, what is a mockery of the executives if this isn't?"

"Mind your station, Rilo, Giovanni assigned me as head of this operation, so it will do you good to speak less, unless you would like me to speak with the boss about your insubordination."

"..."

The seductive woman smiled in response, she seemed to enjoy the drama.

After a few moments of silence, Neil continued, "Your concerns have already been noted, but you all should know better than anyone. In regards to the value of that specimen... Giovanni will never let it go! However, our previous failure will not be repeated. We may have lost Yneva and her team, but with Giovanni's blessing, we will be bringing to bear the full might of the Rocket Gang, to ensure the capture of the specimen!" Neil spoke those words as he purposefully looked at each of the executive's now sullen faces. The mere mention of the *subject* was a sore spot for all of them.

(Specimen?) Jared pondered as the executives began discussing role assignments, until finally, Jared was mentioned.

Hearing his name, Jared perked up, so he paid close attention.

"You are telling me this grunts Gastly can go invisible, but the specimen is psychic type, that damned monster doesn't need Its eyes to see!"

"That's why I brought him here, to clear your doubts," Turning to Jared, Neil commanded, "Rocket Grunt Jared, release your Gastly.

Reaching for his belt, Jared tapped Nyxs pokeball twice, and with a flash of red, Nyx's ghostly visage was brought before the scrutinizing gazes of the four executives.

After taking in the view for a second, Neil broke the silence, "So your Gastly evolved... Grunt, now, command your haunter to turn invisible!"

Nodding, Jared did as asked, and Nyx cooperated without complaint. Although he was stronger and held the type advantage, Nyx still felt great danger from Alakazam.

Once Nyx was fully dispersed, Neil commanded, "Alakazam, are you able to detect him?"

Alakazam's eyes began to glow purple, and then it nodded, -Rilo shouted, "See!"

Before Rilo could continue, Neil spoke to Jared, " Have your haunter remain invisible, and then ask it move twenty yards from this position"

Turning to Alakazam, the four executives waited.

Seeing Alakazam nod its head, Neil asked Jared to have Nyx increase the distance.

.

Finally, Alakazam shook its head.

"Rocket Grunt Jared, have your haunter remain where it is, but command it to show itself if you please."

Seeing Nyx's form appear, Neil nodded in approval, "About forty-five yards, go ahead and return your pokemon."

Rilo scowled, then spoke after thinking up an argument, "Unlike your Alakazam, the specimen has unparalleled psychic power, so this proves nothing!"

"You are wrong, Alakazam was actively searching, while the specimen should be unaware. Forty-five yards should be safe."

Rilo retorted, "How can you be sure? If Me-"

"RILO," Neil cut him off before he could complete the word.

(Me-?)

Inwardly, Jared felt shocked, (They've been talking about a specimen... don't tell me they are talking about Mewtwo?! But... in the anime and the books, Mewtwo was never recaptured!)

.

"Rocket Grunt Jared, we have matters to discuss, so I will be sending you back now.- I will collect you tomorrow.- I would like you to remain in Pallet Town during that time."

With that, Jared suddenly found himself outside the Rocket Gang building located in Pallet Town.

.

Feeling the sudden change in lighting, Jared shielded his eyes. Sometime later, Jared was once again sitting at home.

Watching Bulbasaur eat his rice, Jared sank into thought, (Mewtwo huh... if I recall, Mewtwo was once *evil* and became *good...*)

.

On a deserted outskirt, a small ways from town, Nyx and Bulbasaur were facing off underneath the shade of a massive oak tree.

"Human, this weakling is a waste of my time, I could finish him in an instant!"

"I know that Nyx, so please go easy on him, and don't use spite... actually, don't use any moves."

"Hrmph, you're becoming more annoying, human."

Nervously, Bulbasaur released his two vine whips in preparation.

.

"Ready... and begin!"

Bulbasaur was the first to react!

With his vines overcharged with a coat of grass-type element, he struck the floating Nyx!

Not expecting the small creature to actually harm him, Nyx roared, "THAT HURT, YOU LITTLE GREEN SHIT!"

Jared noted inwardly, (It seems the sun has made Nyx more fragile... I remember it was not long ago that Bulbasaurs vine whips couldn't leave a single mark, but now Nyx's whole body was deformed! Although Bulbasaur has done some training since then, it shouldn't be that exaggerated...)

Disappearing, Nyx waited for an opportunity.

Bulbasaur looked around warily, he knew he couldn't win, but he wasn't going down without a fight.

"Bulbasaur above you!"

Dodging to the side, Bulbasaur narrowly avoided a hypnosis.

Nyx bombarded Jared's mind with complaints, "THIS IS UNFAIR, YOU CHEATED HUMAN!"

Jared just smiled, "You cheated first Nyx, I thought I told you no moves."

"Hrmph!" and with that, Nyx suddenly released a swarm of shadowy tentacles.

Although his opponent was heavily weakened by the sun, Bulbasaur was taking no chances, and using his vines, he used them as a spring to narrowly avoid Nyx's onslaught.

"STAY STILL!"

Unlike Nyx, Bulbasaur soon began to tire from the constant dodging, and eventually, Nyx held Bulbasaur up by one leg, using one of his many tentacles, as Bulbasaur tried to lash Nyxs main body.

Now fully wrapped up, Nyx began gleefully choking the life out of Bulbasaur.

"That's enough, Nyx, don't go too far!"

(Potions aren't free!)

Unraveling Bulbasaur, Nyx let him go. Once freed, Bulbasaur lashed Nyx with his vine whips.

Nyx screeched, "THAT DOES IT, I'M KILLING YOU!"

Before Nyx could swarm Bulbasaur with tentacles, Jared returned Bulbasaur to his ball.

With nowhere to vent his fury, Nyx turned to Jared, "CURSE YOU, HUMAN, YOU SEE WHAT HE DID TO ME!?"

"Nyx, this was supposed to be a friendly duel, and NOT a fight to the death!"

"Hrmph!"

(Well... this should be enough for today. Although it probably won't come to that... still... I should probably keep Bulbasaur in good shape for the mission tomorrow, just in case.)

.

Returning to his room, Jared tortured himself to feed Nyx negative energy, all the way up until the sunset.

Lying in bed, Jared groaned, (I did that for a whole day just so Nyx could be in top shape for the mission... but he's so greedy... the moment I stop giving him negative energy... *Sigh* that shameless ghost immediately asks for more!)