Chapter 13: The Pokémon Mansion

As Julian strolled along the island's roads, he grew increasingly frustrated. The influx of  tourists had completely occupied hotels, inns, and even the Pokémon Center. With limited options, he decided to venture to Blaine's Inn near the volcano, planning to visit it later in the night after exploring the city.

Julian pondered, "If I recall correctly, this is the island where Team Rocket's scientists created Mewtwo. There might be something worth investigating."

Julian roamed around the island, and eventually, his search led him to an abandoned mansion nestled at its outskirts.

Julian mused, "I have a feeling this is the place."

Upon entering the mansion, an eerie silence enveloped him. Inside, he noticed two staircases—one leading upstairs and the other descending into the basement.

Julian decided, "I'll start by checking the upper floors before heading to the basement."

Ascending the staircase, he reached the first floor. Here, he encountered nothing but empty rooms covered in layers of dust. Undeterred, Julian continued to the second floor. This time, he stumbled upon a group of Koffing, but the sight of Julian sent them scurrying away, avoiding any confrontation. He scoured this floor as well, only discovering some seemingly useless documents.

As he explored further, Julian encountered a Ditto. However, the clever Pokémon swiftly transformed into another Pokémon and slipped away, eluding capture. Julian couldn't hide his disappointment, as he had hoped to encounter at least one Ghost or Dark-type Pokémon, which could have been valuable additions to his team.

Julian lamented, "There don't seem to be any Ghost-type Pokémon here. Even if there were, I don't have any Pokémon capable of countering them. Well, let's head down and see what the basement has in store."

Descending into the basement, Julian was greeted by an array of lab equipment. He began searching through the area, uncovering documents related to Pokémon genetics. However, they did not yield any particularly useful information, leaving Julian somewhat frustrated.

Julian pondered, "I'm absolutely certain that this is the place where Mewtwo was created. Although it appears to be an ordinary research facility, these documents on Pokémon genetics suggest otherwise. There must be a hidden passage somewhere."

Determined, Julian meticulously searched every corner of the facility. After a thorough investigation, he stumbled upon a section of the wall that seemed hollow from the other side.

Julian called upon Monferno, instructing, "Monferno, use Focus Punch to break through this wall!" With a powerful Focus Punch, Monferno shattered the wall, revealing a hidden staircase behind it. Julian recalled Monferno and proceeded to descend the staircase.

After a lengthy descent, Julian finally reached the end, only to be confronted by a sturdy steel door blocking his path.

Julian sighed, "That was quite a journey down here. Now, I have to get through this door. Fortunately, I have Heatran."

With confidence, Julian summoned Heatran and directed the Legendary Pokémon to melt the steel door. Heatran responded by exhaling intensely hot flames, effortlessly liquefying the door.

Julian commended Heatran, saying, "Great work, Heatran. Take a well-deserved rest." He returned Heatran to its Pokéball and began to examine the surroundings. Advanced lab equipment filled the room, and in the center, he discovered a colossal glass container filled with an unknown liquid, thick wires protruding from it.

Julian mused, "At last, I've found it. This must be the container where Mewtwo was created. Even though they abandoned this place, the machines appear to be operational." He moved about the lab, searching for any valuable information. He found a collection of documents, though they seemed incomplete, titled "Project Mewtwo." These documents outlined the genetic modification process from Mew to Mewtwo. Julian furrowed his brows.

"Why would they leave these documents behind? If the project was a success, shouldn't they be concerned about someone finding this place and stealing their research?" Julian pondered. He carefully stowed the documents in his pouch and continued his inspection of the equipment. While examining the machinery, he made an unsettling discovery.

Julian's expression shifted to one of concern. "Why are some of these machines still active? It's as if someone has been here before, using this equipment." He heard a subtle clicking noise and instinctively sought cover behind a nearby machine. To his astonishment, a section of the wall on the opposite side began to slide open.

Julian contemplated, 'Another secret door?'

As the concealed passage swung open entirely, an elderly man in a white lab coat emerged. Julian couldn't recall ever seeing this individual before, but he had a hunch as to why he was here. He discreetly summoned Ivysaur and whispered for it to remain quiet.

The moment the old man stepped inside and laid eyes on the melted door, panic overcame him. But it was too late.

Recognizing an opportunity, Julian acted swiftly. "Ivysaur, use Vine Whip to immobilize him!"

Startled by a voice from behind, the old man turned, only to find himself ensnared by Ivysaur's powerful Vine Whip. He struggled fruitlessly, his glare directed at Julian filled with anger.

The old man demanded, "Who in the world are you, and what is the purpose of your presence here?"

Julian responded coolly, "Relax, old man. It seems you've misunderstood the situation. Allow me to clarify: you are now my captive, and I am the one who will be asking the questions."

Julian calmly approached the struggling old man, a faint, unsettling smile on his face. With deliberate movements, he confiscated John's Pokéballs and a concealed taser from his back pocket. After ensuring that John had no other means of escape, Julian swiftly rendered him unconscious with a precise chop to the back of his head. He recalled Ivysaur to its Pokéball, then proceeded to bind John securely with a rope, positioning him in a corner of the room. Julian made some preparations before John regained consciousness.

An hour later, John awoke to find himself still bound and Julian sitting across from him, a disconcerting smile playing on his lips. The sight sent shivers down John's spine, as if he were staring into the eyes of the Devil himself.

Julian cut to the chase. "So, let's not beat around the bush. What's your name, old man?"

John knew that lying to Julian would not lead to a favorable outcome. He reluctantly replied, "My name is John."

Julian leaned in, his smile unwavering. "Now, John, are you a member of Team Rocket?"

John's fear intensified as he realized that this man knew about his association with Team Rocket. He hesitated to answer, but a sudden jolt of excruciating pain coursed through his body, as though an electric shock had surged through him. John snapped back to reality, finding Julian holding a pair of pliers crackling with electric sparks. He was now painfully aware that he had just been electrocuted.

Julian's voice remained cold and unforgiving. "John, I am not a patient man, and I despise falsehoods. If you hesitate or lie, the level of your discomfort will only increase," he warned, his demeanor turning him into something akin to a demon. John felt as though he had never encountered anything more terrifying, not even his former boss.

With no other option, John began to answer. "Yes, I was indeed a member of Team Rocket. But I fled from them."

Julian pressed further, his voice unwavering. "And why did you choose to leave?"

John's voice trembled as he replied, "After my comrades completed the genetic modification of Mew into Mewtwo, our leader not only failed to fulfill the promises he had made but also left my teammates to languish and die within the main headquarters. Only a select few within the headquarters knew about this experiment, myself included. So, I stole all the data and fled."

Julian presented the documents he had collected and showed them to John. "Is this the extent of the information you possess?"

John, weighed down by his fear and the truth, hesitated momentarily but ultimately chose to divulge everything.

John finally mustered the courage to speak. "No, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real treasure trove of information lies within the main computer."

Julian's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "And what were your intentions with this stolen data?"

John, his voice still trembling, admitted, "I had every intention of restarting the project, aiming to amass both wealth and power."

Julian wasted no time in responding. "Alright, enough talk. Power up the computer, and let me access it."

Julian untied John and escorted him to the main computer. John, his fear still palpable, quickly accessed the system and handed control over to Julian. Before John could comprehend the situation, Julian incapacitated him once again, ensuring he wouldn't interfere.

Julian proceeded to sift through the extensive data on Project Mewtwo, delving deeper into Team Rocket's secrets. He meticulously copied all relevant files onto a portable drive, securely tucking it into his pouch. After double-checking that he left no trace of his intrusion, he glanced back at the abandoned mansion with a mixture of pity and contempt.

As Julian made his way out, he couldn't help but reflect on the unchanging nature of human greed and ambition. He couldn't deny the value of the skills he had learned in his past life, even if he had to use them for less honorable purposes now.