[Mewtwo!]

[I heard it… the news about Mew.]

[It's not wise for me to come out of the Poké Ball and scan directly with psychic power. If this girl is telling the truth, we might as well use her.]

Green claimed she had stolen a special disk from Team Rocket — a disk that could pinpoint Mew's location within an entire city.

In reality, Mewtwo had the power to do the same thing.

But for that, Logan would need to release him, and unleashing such strong psychic waves would put a heavy burden on Logan's body — something he had never dared to try.

Logan could somewhat understand Mewtwo's deep hostility and fierce desire to face Mew.

If Mewtwo had been just an ordinary Pokémon, it might have felt differently.

But with a mind almost as reflective and sharp as a human's, it was haunted by the question of being "real" or "a copy."

For Mewtwo, it felt like destiny itself: to defeat Mew and prove its worth.

[Please, Logan… You named me to mean "to surpass Mew." I must prove that it's true!]

[I understand. Right now, you and I aren't separate. We'll fight together.]

Their conversation in the shared sea of consciousness lasted only a heartbeat.

Logan turned to look at Green.

She was smiling at him sweetly, trying to look as harmless as a kitten.

He raised his hand — and in a flash, Gabite's sharp claws sliced through the ropes binding her.

"…Ah… My arms and legs are numb."

Finally freed, the girl drew in a sharp breath.

She didn't stand up right away but stayed kneeling, rubbing her wrists and ankles.

Being tied for so long in that humiliating position had cut off her blood flow completely — now her limbs were almost completely numb.

After a few moments, Green finally stood up, kicking her legs a bit to restore circulation.

She flashed Logan a mischievous smile, her voice sweet and delicate:

"…So, handsome, are you willing to come with me to find Mew now?"

"This is our deal," Logan said, folding his arms across his chest.

"You tricked people using my name, so I caught you — that's fair.

Now you help me find Mew, and I'll give you back your freedom — that's also fair.

Just don't try any more tricks."

As he spoke, a dark violet light flickered through Logan's eyes.

Green felt her body freeze.

It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed her, lifting her up.

Her limbs were forced apart — then slammed against a nearby tree trunk.

Logan's right hand hung in midair, fingers curling in a loose choking gesture.

Even though he didn't apply much force, Green still felt the terrifying tightness around her throat.

Such powerful psychic force!

Even she couldn't help but be awed.

In all human history, there had been only a handful who could use psychic power at this level.

Logan truly didn't like threatening a girl.

But this cunning, unpredictable girl had too many tricks.

If he let his guard down for even a second, she might slip away or turn the tables.

So, even if he had to seem cold and ruthless, it was better to make her feel a healthy dose of fear.

"Don't worry," Green giggled softly, though her voice still had a hint of nervousness.

"We're partners now, aren't we? At least until the deal is done, I won't do anything to betray it."

She knew that after everything she'd done, trust was impossible.

But even if he didn't believe her, she still had to at least say it.

"Let's hope so…" Logan muttered.

He lowered his hand, and Green fell back to the ground.

Logan thought the way he did that 'Force Choke' looked pretty damn cool.

Without Pokémon in this world, his psychic power alone would have been enough to handle any human threat.

Lucky~~ Green thought to herself, making a little "victory" sign in her mind.

Even if I was forced to cooperate, now there's someone to share the risk with. If Team Rocket catches up, at least he'll be in danger too… though this man is dangerous in his own way. Better stay careful.

If Logan had known what she was thinking, he would have scoffed.

Team Rocket already hated him to the extreme.

Even their boss and top agents had been humiliated by him once — why would he care about their pursuit now?

"All right," Logan said flatly.

"Show me that disk of yours. Let's find Mew."

An old saying came to mind: The prettier the woman, the better she is at lying.

And this girl was stunningly beautiful, with a charm that could topple kingdoms.

Logan felt her ability to deceive was directly proportional to her looks.

Until the day he could trust her, it was safest to stay guarded and keep things cold.

"The disk isn't on me," Green said quickly.

Seeing Logan's brow tighten, and fearing he might tie her back up or do something worse, she hurried to explain:

"…Something so important, how could I carry it with me? If Team Rocket caught me, I could bargain by saying I'd hidden it somewhere.

If they actually found it on me, they'd probably just kill me right away…"

"Fair enough. I'll believe you — for now," Logan replied, giving her a suspicious glance.

He could imagine she really was cautious enough to do that.

"So, dear," Green said, her tone suddenly soft and sweet again.

"Come with me back to Cerulean City so we can get the disk!"

In Cerulean City…

Logan felt oddly stiff as he walked through the streets.

Next to him, Green clung to his arm like a lovestruck girlfriend.

Every now and then, she'd let her chest brush lightly against his arm.

She had already removed the two hidden Poké Balls from her chest, so her bust looked noticeably smaller now.

Even so, the warmth and softness brushing against his arm was enough to stir certain thoughts — though Logan couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at the difference.

"Darling~" Green cooed, lowering her voice so it sounded like a secret meant only for him.

"After we get the disk, let's go get some dessert…

And then… maybe go to a hotel to do… something naughty… okay?"

Her breathy tone, the misty look in her eyes, and the shy way she glanced up at him could make any man's heart pound.

For a moment, Logan even felt that fleeting sweetness of 'romance' hanging in the air.

Even though he knew that sweetness was fake, her beauty still drew stares from every passerby.

A woman that lovely, with such graceful allure, became the center of attention wherever she went.

Dozens of jealous or admiring glances landed on Logan — and Green's acting was flawless.

Anyone watching would truly believe she was head over heels for him.

Hmph… Logan thought to himself.

Sure, she's putting her heart into me… more likely thinking how to stab me in it, given half a chance.

He could sense that, deep down, Green was fiercely proud and stubborn.

After being toyed with by him, she probably hated him enough to grind her teeth.

"Green," Logan said, his voice turning low and firm, "let's get the disk first."

He didn't want her to really drag him off to eat sweets — and as for the hotel afterwards?

Logan didn't believe it for a second.

If he'd really wanted to do something with her, he would have done it earlier… and killed her afterwards, if he felt like it.

"Fine, fine… it's right up ahead!" Green huffed, pouting a little.

Seeing that Logan wouldn't be distracted, she could only lead him directly toward their real destination.

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