What else could Caleb say?
If he refused or hesitated in this situation, he'd probably be beaten to death the next day by some disgruntled reader...
So he said, "Of course you can."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Mew2's expression visibly relaxed with.
Caleb pretended not to notice. He released the other Mewtwo from his Poké Ball and, recalling what Mewtwo had told him earlier, looked into his eyes and asked, "You knew all along, didn't you?"
Mewtwo looked back at him: >..I thought you'd be happy. It's like me, it follows you simply because you're you..<
"You could have at least given me a heads up!" Caleb glared at his irreverent companion. He'd spent all that time worrying and struggling internally for nothing.
Mewtwo blinked innocently: >..The internet says humans like surprises. That receiving surprises makes humans happy..<
Caleb was speechless. Thinking it over, he realized that Mewtwo wasn't entirely wrong.
He turned to Mew2 and asked, "Why were you in the Alola region?"
Logically, Mew2 should've been manipulated by Giovanni after its creation.
'Did my interference alter the storyline?' he wondered.
Mew2 looked at him and answered honestly: >..Because Amber was there..<
Of course, Caleb was also part of the reason. Mew2 had promised Amber it would stay with Caleb to protect him, but by the time it arrived, he was already gone.
Mew2 searched everywhere but couldn't find him. Having nowhere else to go, it stayed there, guarding the place where Amber rested...
Caleb remained unaware of the latter part. Hearing Amber's name, he sighed softly and asked, "Do you miss her?"
Mew2 replied: >..She was my first friend..<
Much of what Mew2 knew about the world came from Amber. They had stargazed in the dreamscape, wandered above cities, and talked about their hopes and daily life.
Though most of the time, it was little Amber who did the talking, Mew2 was mostly content to listen quietly...
From her, Mew2 had felt a deep loneliness... one that resonated within its own heart. The world was vast, yet it seemed to have nothing to do with them.
Who were they? Where did they come from? Why were they here? For a long time, Mew2 had no answers, leaving it feeling lost.
Caleb responded gently, "Then let's go see her."
Mewtwo immediately guessed what Caleb intended to do and gave him a deep look.
Unlike Mew2, Mewtwo wasn't an inexperienced newborn. He had experienced too much, witnessed countless partings and reunions. Combined with the human genes within him, when faced with such situations, he might not understand everything, but Mewtwo could grasp the general picture.
Rare and powerful Pokémon held an irresistible allure for human Trainers.
Knowing Mew2 deeply missed Amber, Caleb still proposed to take it to see her... Mewtwo wondered if Caleb wasn't he afraid that Mew2 might choose to stay for Amber's sake and not return.
Mewtwo had seen such things often. But his human still chose to do it anyway. The longer he stayed with him, the more Mewtwo felt drawn to him...
Caleb loved Pokémon, was willing to respect their choices, and would never capture a Pokémon forcibly for his own selfish desires.
'Could there be any human in this world better than this one?' Mewtwo didn't think so.
In truth, Caleb had also considered that possibility. If he were more manipulative, he could have hidden Celebi's time-travel ability and made himself Mew2's only option.
But, why bother?
Even if Celebi could revive Amber, the Forest Guardian would only restore her body to a healthier point in her timeline. It couldn't fix the inherent defects in her genes.
Caleb had specifically looked up related information in the Infinite World before.
If it weren't for Amber, Caleb would never have had any connection with Mew2. If he hadn't met Amber, he wouldn't have obtained that Heart, and he would've consequently died in that Punishment Instance back then...
Mew2 didn't understand what Caleb meant. It looked at him with confusion, thinking, 'See her? How? Isn't Amber gone?'
Seeing Mew2's confusion, Caleb exchanged knowing glances with Mewtwo instead.
'Surprises... Yeah, who doesn't like surprises?' he snickered.
Without explaining, Caleb returned both Mewtwos to their Poké Balls, activated the Warp Beacon, and returned to Alola.
Then he released Celebi...
...
On a certain day of a certain year...
In a hospital room in Hau'oli City, white curtains fluttered in the breeze.
A pale, frail girl sat quietly on the hospital bed, looking down at the bright sunlight streaming through the window onto her blanket.
Just then, 'Caleb' walked in from outside, asked about the girl's condition, and then turned and left the room.
After he left, a flash of white light appeared in the room, and a figure identical to the one who just left appeared by the bed.
Although the two looked exactly the same, the auras they exuded was slightly different.
Amber stared in surprise at the new Caleb, then glanced at the closed door. She whispered, "Onii-san? Weren't you going to buy breakfast?"
Hearing this, Caleb felt complex emotions. The novelty of seeing another version of himself flashed through his mind. As he took the Poké Ball out of his inventory, he said, "I'm from the future. There's someone who wants to see you."
With that, he released Mew2.
Seeing who it was, Amber's small mouth fell open in disbelief. "M-Mewtwo-chan?"
Mew2 gazed intently at this friend who had once wandered under the stars with it. After a long pause, it replied telepathically: >..It's me..<
After some explanation, although little Amber couldn't fully understand everything, she grasped the general idea.
She gave Caleb a bright smile and said softly, "Thank you for coming back to see me, Onii-san. I'm very happy."
Caleb gently ruffled her hair. If he remembered the timeline correctly, the day after tomorrow was the day Amber would fall into her eternal sleep...
Amber looked at Mew2 and continued, "Onii-san, can Mewtwo-chan and I talk alone for a bit?"
Caleb had no reason to refuse. He walked out of the hospital room and, after closing the door, asked, "Is there really no other way?"
Mewtwo was silent for a moment, then said: >..Celebi's power over time cannot stop the deterioration of that girl's body. To truly revive her, you need the power of Ho-Oh..<
Having lived in the Collapsed World for centuries, Mewtwo had some understanding of each Legendary Pokémon's abilities. Reviving the deceased was something only Ho-Oh could accomplish...