Chapter 188: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Again

Chapter 188: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Again

Three days ago...

Mew and Teddiursa continued their journey, arriving at a port shrouded in dark clouds and lashed by wind and rain.

The sea was pitch black, and towering waves crashed against the shore relentlessly.

The downpour drenched many humans, who rushed for shelter at the boarding area.

A group of young trainers had already gathered, hoping to catch a ferry across the sea.

Officer Jenny stood at the entrance, megaphone in hand, addressing the crowd:

"Due to the severe storm, ferry services are temporarily suspended! Please wait here until the weather clears, and the boats will resume their normal schedule."

"Hm?" Teddiursa asked, perched on a steel beam above the hall, looking down curiously at the humans below.

Mew, on the other hand, gazed out at the raging storm, its eyes filled with curiosity.

"Mew?" Teddiursa echoed, surprised by Mew's reaction to the storm.

Not only was it powerful, but Mew also sensed a familiar aura.

Intrigued, Mew nodded. "Mew!" (Let's go take a look!)

Teddiursa was game for anything.

In a flash, the two Pokemon vanished, passing through the storm and arriving at a small island untouched by the rain. A castle stood on the island, with a windmill by the shore.

Mew and Teddiursa's eyes lit up at the sight of the turning windmill, and they flew over to sit on the blades, enjoying the ride as the wind turned the sails.

"Mew!"

"Teddi!"

The two Pokemon giggled, clearly delighted with their new plaything.

Just then, an explosion rocked the castle, drawing their attention. They flew toward the source of the sound and saw a figure being flung out of the castle.

"Mew?"

Mew, ever the gallant Pokemon, used its psychic powers to create a bubble and gently caught the boy with the baseball cap.

"Wow!" Teddiursa's eyes widened in surprise and delight at the sight of the bubble.

It had never seen Mew use this ability before!

Mew winked at Teddiursa and created another bubble, and the two Pokemon gleefully bounced on the bubbles like springboards, paying no heed to the tense atmosphere in the hall.

"What kind of Pokemon is that?" Ash exclaimed, astonished.

Brock, standing beside him, shook his head. "I only recognize the Teddiursa."

The other trainers who had braved the storm to get here were equally bewildered.

In the center of the hall stood a humanoid Pokemon, its body crackling with suppressed psychic power.

Its gaze fixed on Mew, and it raised its right hand, hurling a shadowy ball of energy.

The shadow ball pierced through Mew's bubble, causing Mew and Teddiursa to falter. Their attention turned to the Mewtwo in the hall.

"How rude!" Teddiursa exclaimed, angered by the hostile behavior of the unfamiliar Pokemon.

Mewtwo paid it no mind and threw several more shadow balls, but Mew and Teddiursa easily dodged them.

Teddiursa's anger grew. It glared at the strange Pokemon and pulled out a small stone, throwing it angrily at Mewtwo.

"That's a Dark-type move, 'Throw,'" identified Brock, recognizing the move.

The stone, enveloped in a ghostly light, shot toward Mewtwo like an arrow, but just before it could hit, Mewtwo erected a psychic shield, deflecting the attack.

Mewtwo's gaze finally turned to Teddiursa, and it unleashed a terrifying aura, its psychic powers surging like a tidal wave.

"This doesn't concern you!" Mewtwo declared.

Teddiursa hovered in mid-air, unmoving, as the psychic wave barely grazed its head, ruffling its fur.

"A miss?"

Mewtwo was taken aback, unsure how it could have failed.

Realizing that Teddiursa was intentionally attacking it, Mewtwo's voice turned cold.

"You are no match for me!" it declared, hurling a rapid succession of shadow balls. Yet, each one narrowly missed the nimble Teddiursa.

Mewtwo was perplexed. "Such incredible luck?"

In that moment of hesitation, a gap appeared in the psychic shield surrounding Mewtwo's body, and Teddiursa seized the opportunity to dart through.

Its sharp claws extended, leaving a faint scratch on Mewtwo's body.

Brock, who had been knocked down, stared in disbelief at Teddiursa on his body.

Did he just see that?

This Teddiursa had actually injured Mewtwo!

"Teddi!"

Teddiursa jumped down from Brock and calmly observed its surroundings.

At that moment, Mewtwo's attention turned back to Mew.

The two Pokemon stared at each other from a distance.

Mewtwo said in a deep voice, "Mew, the rarest Pokemon in the world. I was indeed created in your image, but I am the stronger one. I am the true original! Only I can survive!"

"Mew..."

Mew felt perplexed.

It had never provoked this strange Pokemon.

The reason it had come here was that it had sensed the presence of other Mew in the area.

But instead of finding the others, it had encountered this hostile creature.

Mew had no desire to fight and tried to communicate, but its opponent continued the attack.

Mew could only dodge and try to convey its intentions at the same time.

However, the other Pokemon showed no signs of stopping.

Mew began to feel angry.

"Why won't you fight me? Are you avoiding battle because you fear me?" Mewtwo demanded.

The Pokemon's aggressive demeanor, coupled with the earlier attack on Teddiursa, only served to anger Mew further.

It didn't speak but silently unleashed its psychic powers, sending Mewtwo flying back.

Witnessing this, Teddiursa exclaimed in admiration, "Teddi!"

Indeed, a true hero!

"Hmph." Mewtwo snorted coldly as he emerged from the ruins. "Seems like I've found a slightly challenging opponent."

He flew above the group of cloned Pokemon and gave a detached order. "Now we shall decide who is correct—Mew or I. The originals and the clones shall battle to determine who is superior!"

"We were created to be stronger than the originals!"

With Mewtwo's command, the cloned Pokemon below sprang into action.

Mew and Mewtwo transformed into two distinct orbs of light, clashing and intertwining as they soared into the sky.

Thunderous explosions echoed from the heavens, and in the castle ruins below, the cloned Pokemon fought fiercely against their originals.

The sudden turn of events left Teddiursa both flustered and bewildered.

It shouted loudly, "Teddi!" (What's going on? Why did things suddenly turn out this way?)

But no Pokemon responded; they continued to fight relentlessly, unable to stop even if it wasn't their true desire.

Ninetales, Gyarados, Pidgeot, Pikachu, Bulbasaur...

Their injuries worsened, their energy depleted, and even lifting a paw became a slow, arduous task.

Watching this tragic scene, Teddiursa's heart was filled with turmoil. It couldn't help but wish Naoki were here.

But since Naoki wasn't present, it had to rely on itself.

Teddiursa shouted at the top of its voice, "Teddi!" (Stop! Please stop fighting! We are all Pokemon. Why must we hurt each other?)

Not far away, Nurse Joy looked on with a pained expression. In a subdued tone, she murmured, "What is the meaning of this battle... Whether they are the originals or the clones, they are all alive."

Brock added, "Even if they were created, they are still beings of this world!"

With a heavy heart, Misty said, "Both the originals and the clones are living beings. Why must there be winners and losers..."

Nurse Joy clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture and said, "Living beings... When faced with their own kind, they will not easily yield their territory. They will fight relentlessly until they drive away the intruders. That is the nature of living beings!"

"As long as Mewtwo and Mew don't stop, these Pokemon won't cease their battle..."

Teddiursa listened quietly to their words. During its journey, it had come to view every Pokemon it encountered as its kin.

But now, these Pokemon were locked in a bitter, relentless struggle.

Teddiursa felt immense pain, and its eyes grew moist. It didn't want to witness such a heartbreaking scene anymore.

So it raised its head and shouted loudly, "Teddi!"

In mid-air, Mew, who heard Teddiursa's voice, paused for a moment before decisively abandoning its fight with Mewtwo and descending to the arena below.

Teddiursa rushed forward and pointed at the scenes unfolding around them, pleading to Mew, "Teddi... Teddi!"

The next second, Mewtwo's attack followed close behind.

A massive Shadow Ball was unleashed, and the terrifying energy instantly engulfed both Mew and Teddiursa.

Dust and smoke rose from the ruins, and all fell silent.

"Hmph." Mewtwo snorted coldly.

However, the next moment, an even more powerful force erupted from the dust cloud.

With a roar of "Teddi!" Teddiursa's body glowed faintly. It grabbed Mew's paw and forcefully threw Mew away from the incoming attack.

Teddiursa, who had been behind them, vanished and reappeared above Mewtwo.

With a swift swipe of its claws, Teddiursa struck Mewtwo in a surprise attack.

"Yi meow! Yi meow meow?" (Enough! Do you really want to see everyone perish? We are all Pokemon; why must we hurt each other?)

"Miu!" Mew also grew furious.

But Mewtwo remained unfazed, blasting the two intruders away: "To prove that we are the strongest!"

Teddiursa lunged forward again, questioning, "Yi meow?" (What's the point of proving who's the strongest? We still have to live together in this world. Why can't we get along and coexist peacefully?)

Mewtwo was left speechless and could only let out a cold huff, its psychic powers materializing into a sharp, mental blade.

With Mew's help, Teddiursa's form flickered, dodging the mental blade.

Mew, taking Teddiursa's place, clashed once more with Mewtwo, the two most powerful Pokemon in the world.

Suddenly, a figure dashed in between Mew and Mewtwo.

"That's enough!"

Both Mew and Mewtwo paused momentarily.

Mew instinctively tried to retract its attack, but it was too late.

Two distinct energies collided within Ash, resulting in a violent explosion. Ash's body turned into a stone statue, slowly falling to the ground, devoid of any signs of life.

Everyone around, humans and Pokemon alike, froze in disbelief at the sight.

Mewtwo furrowed its brow, its voice filled with anger: "Foolish! A mere human trying to stop our battle!"

"Pika, pika!"

A worried Pikachu rushed forward, reaching Ash's side. It kept calling out his name and tried to wake him up with electric shocks, just like it usually did.

But even after depleting all its electric power, Ash didn't stir.

"Pika...Pikachu!"

Pikachu let out a pained and sorrowful cry, tears streaming down its face and falling onto the ground.

Witnessing this, Teddiursa's expression softened.

"Yi meow..."

It turned its head and noticed that the surrounding Pokemon had stopped fighting.

They were staring at the human and Pikachu, tears glistening in their eyes.

Then, something extraordinary happened.

The starlight in their eyes began to gather, and with a warm glow, Ash slowly opened his eyes.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed in delight.

"Pi-ka-chu!" Ash, realizing the battle had stopped, understood that he had succeeded. He happily hugged Pikachu.

"Is that...the Life-Giving Drop?" the knowledgeable Officer Jenny whispered.

"Life-Giving Drop?" Brock asked, perplexed.

Officer Jenny explained, "It's a Water-type move, manifesting emotional energy in the form of water droplets."

"A long time ago, there was a Pokemon that lost its life in battle. Its heartbroken trainer, in a moment of deep sorrow, used this move."

"The trainer's tears fell on the Pokemon, and it woke up."

"Humans...can use Pokemon moves?" Misty and Brock were astonished.

---

In mid-air, Mewtwo silently watched the events unfolding below.

It didn't continue the fight, its mind clouded with confusion and a mix of emotions.

"Why?"

Mew, by its side, looked at it and said, "Miu." (They are all living beings, existing in this world, whether they are humans or cloned Pokemon.)

Mewtwo closed its eyes, then murmured, "Indeed, you and I exist, we are...Pokemon."

"Perhaps it's best if no one knows about this, if it's all forgotten."

"We were born, we live, and we will continue to live...in a corner of this world!"

Mew tilted its head, looking at Mewtwo, who seemed to have realized something.

A blue light shone from Mewtwo's body.

The cloned Pokemon below also glowed with the same blue light, following Mewtwo as it flew towards the clear sky.

Seeing this, Mew and Teddiursa joined them.

Mewtwo glanced sideways at the lucky Teddiursa and Mew.

It finally remembered to ask, "And who are you?"

Teddiursa: "..."

Mew: "..."

The two Pokemon glanced at each other and sighed.

Teddiursa: "Yi meow! (We are the Gallant Adventure Team, traveling around the world!)

"

Mew stifled a giggle.

Mewtwo, puzzled: "Gallant...Adventure Team?"

Teddiursa explained helplessly, "Yi meow, yi meow." (We travel and help Pokemon in need. We've helped a lot of Pokemon, and currently, it's just the two of us in the team.)

Mewtwo seemed to understand.

It went "Oh," then turned its head away, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

Time passed, and they landed on a deserted cliff.

The scenery was beautiful, and the steep cliffs ensured no humans would venture here.

Mew nodded in agreement. "Miu!"

Mewtwo was taken aback for a moment. "I understand."

The Gallant Adventure Team prepared to leave. But before they departed, Teddiursa took out its camera.

It called out to Mewtwo, "Yi meow!" (Everyone, let's take a group photo together!)

Mewtwo looked puzzled. "A group photo?"

Teddiursa proceeded to explain to it what a camera and photographs were.

Upon hearing that the photos could be seen by humans, Mewtwo immediately backed away, its expression turning grim. "We don't want our lives disturbed by humans."

Teddiursa frowned and shared a glance with Mew, both of them feeling perplexed. "Yi meow..." (But Naoki is a really good human...!)

"Naoki?" Mewtwo asked.

Teddiursa nodded. "Yi meow... Yi meow." (He helped me. If it weren't for Naoki, I would still be living an ignorant life in the mountains, stealing honey every day. Perhaps one day, I would have been caught by other humans and caged up... In short, Naoki is the best human in this world!)

As Teddiursa spoke, its eyes sparkled like stars.

Mew, standing beside it, wholeheartedly agreed. "Miu!" (The food Naoki makes is the most delicious in the world!)

Mewtwo: "......"

Just then, Teddiursa suddenly remembered something else. "Yi meow! Yi meow yi meow!" (Oh, that's right! Naoki also opened a tavern exclusively for Pokemon! Any Pokemon who needs help will go to him!)

Mew generously shared its memories with Mewtwo.

After viewing those memories, Mewtwo fell into an even deeper silence.

That human... seemed a little weird.

It couldn't imagine itself burying its face in a Pokemon's belly like that.

As a Pokemon created with human genes, Mewtwo felt a twinge of embarrassment.

However, it had to admit that the human was exceptionally good to Pokemon.

It understood what Teddiursa and Mew were trying to convey.

But... they weren't ready, at least not yet.

Teddiursa's tone turned dejected. "Yi meow..." (Alright then...)

It and Mew looked rather disappointed as they gazed at the camera.

Mewtwo: "......"

After a moment of silence, it took a step forward and said, "Just one photo then."

"Yi meow!"

"Miu!"

The eyes of Teddiursa and Mew immediately lit up.

They pulled Mewtwo and the group of cloned Pokemon together to take two photos.

One photo was for Mewtwo and the cloned Pokemon, while the other was to be sent back home to Naoki, sharing their adventures with him.

Naoki nearly spat out the juice he had just drunk when he saw the photo.

Was he seeing things?

Was that really Mewtwo?

When did Teddiursa and Mew encounter Mewtwo?!

Could it be that Lucky Pudding had something to do with this again?

"This is terrifying," Naoki thought to himself.

If they had already met Mewtwo, what other incredible things would they encounter in the future? He dared not even imagine.

The initial excitement of seeing Mewtwo slowly faded, and Naoki calmed down.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself to stay calm. After all, Goler had already visited him, so encountering Mewtwo in a photo wasn't that big of a deal.

With that thought, Naoki stood up, framed the photo, and hung it on the wall of the tavern.

He glanced at the time and realized it was already 4:50 in the evening.

Just then, he heard the sound of a truck outside the ranch.

Naoki went out to sell the day's milk and sheep milk to Zack, then began preparing dinner.

After he and the Pokemon had finished their meal, it was already 7:00 p.m.

Naoki leisurely opened the tavern's door and began the evening's business.

Right on time, at 7:05 p.m., the two Machamp arrived as usual.

They ordered two cups of juice and chatted about the day's events.

Naoki sat behind the bar, listening to their casual conversation.

Before long, a wild Drapion swaggered into the tavern.

It was the captain of the Zectron Town Fire Brigade.

Two days ago, it had somehow heard about this tavern exclusively for Pokemon and had been coming here every day after work, elegantly sipping a cup of juice.

"How was work today?" Naoki asked as he poured a cup of juice for it.

The Drapion gracefully took the glass. "Gya." (Very smooth.)

It walked over to an empty table and sat down, sipping its juice while listening to the conversation of the Minidraco and Hakuryu sitting nearby.

The Drapion stayed in the tavern until 9:00 p.m. before slowly getting up to leave. It paid for its drink with five deep blue feathers.

Naoki: "......"

He had to admit, this Pokemon was a bit too full of itself.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end