Chapter 3:

Note: If I get 20 reviews with 5 stars now, I'll post next chapter immediately...

***

Chapter 3: This World is No Joke!

[Who... are you? Human? Pokémon? Weapon… What are those things?]

The container created by humans was completely incapable of holding the mind of this monster, and their so-called advanced technology couldn't detect the subtle psychic waves from the weapon they had created.

When Mewtwo's head moved slightly, an unexpected voice suddenly echoed in Yulong Jie's mind.

Mewtwo's psychic power penetrated directly into the deepest part of his brain, leaving no room for resistance or reaction. In this strange sensation, the minds of the two beings became connected. Yulong Jie's body stiffened, and his face became blank. His pupils, usually bright and clear, flickered with a faint purple light. This was a natural human response—a defense mechanism—when the consciousness was invaded, temporarily shutting down like a vegetative state, even though he knew this instinctual reaction would not protect him.

At the same time, the skin and muscles on Yulong Jie's left arm began to ripple like waves, as though they were alive and moving. His blank gaze cleared, his awareness returning, but the psychic link in his mind remained intact.

[I feel... a strong fondness for you? Who are you? Who am I? Am I human? Am I Pokémon? Or am I a weapon?]

At this moment, Yulong Jie began to focus on the strange voice that had suddenly entered his mind. His eyes shifted to Mewtwo, who was floating in the container like a demon god. He knew that this voice came from the artificial Pokémon.

Contrary to his expectations, Yulong Jie had assumed Mewtwo would have no defined gender, but now it seemed more like an ambiguous, undefined one. The voice that echoed in his head was not the deep, rough male tone he had imagined. Instead, it was clear and fluid, like a benevolent saint or a cold, emotionless machine. While it wasn't a soft and melodious female voice, it definitely leaned towards a feminine tone.

Mewtwo had hesitated for a long time before using the word "fondness," meaning that its understanding of human language was still limited.

"Jie-kun? Jie-kun?!"

Professor Oak and Blaine, who were standing nearby, quickly shook Yulong Jie's body. They had both noticed the faint purple glow in his eyes earlier. As a Pokémon expert and a Gym Leader, they naturally recognized it as the ability of a Psychic-type Pokémon. The only one capable of using psychic powers here was undoubtedly Mewtwo!

"Jie-kun, wake up! Don't connect your mind with Mewtwo's consciousness, or you'll be consumed by its psychic power!" Blaine said anxiously. As the creator of this ultimate weapon, he knew Mewtwo's capabilities better than anyone. There were countless recorded instances of humans being controlled or overwhelmed by Psychic-type Pokémon.

"It's alright, Blaine..." Yulong Jie reassured him, speaking calmly. Seeing that Yulong Jie was not under Mewtwo's control, both Professor Oak and Blaine relaxed.

Blaine, behind his sunglasses, showed a flicker of surprise. The strength of Mewtwo's psychic powers was terrifying, even without actual combat data. The mere readings from the instruments were enough to shock anyone. Normally, if a human were controlled by Mewtwo's psychic power, there would be no way to escape.

What was even more terrifying was that the special containment vessel seemed incapable of restraining Mewtwo's psychic abilities. Before Mewtwo was created, the plans had anticipated this, and the vessel was specifically designed to prevent Mewtwo from using its psychic powers freely. But now, it was clear that both Blaine and the other Team Rocket scientists had underestimated their creation!

"I can sense that Mewtwo has no ill intentions toward me. On the contrary, it feels more like a newborn child, curious and innocent. By the way, Blaine, can Mewtwo learn things?" Yulong Jie asked, his gaze sharp as he looked at Blaine. When his mind connected with Mewtwo's consciousness, he felt no pain or discomfort. Instead, it was like a dried-up lake suddenly filled with cool water, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed. The bond he felt with Mewtwo was stronger than that between a parent and child, as if this connection had been imprinted into their very DNA. Mewtwo clearly shared this feeling, which was why it had chosen him out of all the humans in the research facility for its first contact.

His eyes fell on his bandaged left arm. He had felt a slight stinging sensation there earlier. Yulong Jie knew that this bond came from that very place. His cells and Mew's cells had nurtured Mewtwo, and at the same time, Mewtwo's cells had invaded his body. From Professor Oak's words, he had learned that those cells had even entered his brain. A normal human would have already died. In fact, the previous 'Yulong Jie' had indeed died. Now, it was a different consciousness and soul in this body!

"Learn? You mean, like a human? While other Pokémon may not be capable of that, Mewtwo certainly can. From the very beginning, Team Rocket wanted to instill concepts into Mewtwo's mind to control it. Mewtwo's brain functions more like a supercomputer, capable of storing vast amounts of knowledge. Emotionally and psychologically, however, Mewtwo is no more advanced than a human and remains within the same emotional range," Blaine explained, his gaze also falling on Mewtwo. His thick brows furrowed slightly. The Mewtwo Project had already exceeded the original plan's boundaries, surpassing the predicted levels of control. He hadn't expected Mewtwo's psychic abilities to be powerful enough to break through its containment. This meant that, even before Team Rocket had a chance to indoctrinate Mewtwo, it could independently learn concepts, potentially ruining their plans.

In reality, Pokémon controlled by humans were less dangerous because humans could negotiate and communicate with them. But if a powerful Pokémon like Mewtwo were to go out of control, the disaster it could cause would be far greater than anything Team Rocket could do with it. Misunderstandings between humans and Pokémon could arise due to the differences between their species.

However, if this boy were involved, maybe— Blaine had a bold idea, but he knew he had to tread carefully if he wanted to put it into practice, or it could weigh even more heavily on his conscience.

[You heard what he said, didn't you, Mewtwo? No, you probably heard everything everyone in the lab said, right? What I want to tell you is this: part of you is in me, and part of me is in you. We are one. We are inseparable. We are the same. You've only just been born into this world, and you must be curious about everything. Why not start by learning about things like familial love, friendship, what it means to have a family, and what it means to have friends?]

[Familial love… friendship… family… friends…]

Mewtwo's light, ethereal voice echoed in Yulong Jie's mind. It seemed confused and lost, but slowly, its will grew stronger. The feeling of mental connection gradually faded, and Yulong Jie knew that Mewtwo had withdrawn its psychic power.

At this moment, Yulong Jie had no ambitions, no disgusting desires. He bore no malice towards Mewtwo, nor did he ever intend to control it. His human survival instincts were at work, trying to paint his own colors on Mewtwo's blank slate of consciousness. The will to survive is humanity's strongest and most primal drive, a reflection of the human spirit's refusal to give up.

From the tone of Blaine and Professor Oak's words, from their pained expressions, Yulong Jie could guess what kind of inhumane experiments the previous owner of this body had endured. Looking at his frail, withered form, it was clear that the former Yulong Jie had been living a life worse than death.

The initial excitement of transmigrating was gone. Team Rocket was no joke. They might have their own sense of 'justice,' fighting for their organization's goals and showing a different kind of human brilliance. But if that brilliance meant Yulong Jie had to sacrifice his life and his freedom, he wasn't interested!

This wasn't the world of a children's cartoon where Thunderbolt couldn't kill people, where trainers walked away unscathed from countless Pokémon attacks. Looking back on it now, it seemed ridiculous. If humans were truly immune to Pokémon's abilities, then why would they even need Pokémon? They could just fight barehanded!

Yulong Jie didn't want to die. His survival instinct told him that Mewtwo was his greatest chance at freedom and continuing his life.

Fighting between Pokémon is no joke!