After leaving Lin Feng's side, Mew gradually calmed down.
Thinking back, it realized the whole mess had started because of its own whims. It had wanted to play a trick, so it disguised its identity. Lin Feng hadn't done anything wrong at all. In fact, he had been patient enough to play along with its little game, and he had even kept feeding it delicious food every day.
The more Mew thought about it, the more guilty it felt.
But soon another thought lit up in its mind. There was still that Dragonite with Lin Feng's scent, and if it remembered correctly, Dragonite had only gone off on a short errand. That meant Mew could still track it down and, in just a few days, return with it.
The moment this idea took root, Mew's mood instantly brightened. Humming softly, it sniffed the air, picking up Mewtwo's distinct aura, and flitted off toward the direction of that powerful presence.
…
Far out at sea, a lone island jutted up from the waves.
Inside its winding caverns, a massive Dragonite landed with heavy wingbeats. The tunnels twisted and curved before opening into a chamber where a tall, pink, humanoid Pokémon stood waiting.
"You've delivered the message?" Mewtwo's voice was low and calm as its piercing eyes fell on Dragonite.
Dragonite nodded firmly, then turned its head with a pleading look. Its meaning was obvious: food, please.
Mewtwo almost chuckled at the sight. "You've changed. Ever since going to him, not only have you been eating better, but you've gotten bold too. The old you wouldn't dare beg me for snacks."
Dragonite drooped its head, worried that Mewtwo would refuse. Its wide eyes shimmered with exaggerated misery, and it let out a pitiful whine.
"Wuuhh…"
Mewtwo sighed, reached into a storage capsule, and tossed over a sealed bag of neatly prepared Pokéblocks. "I never said I wouldn't give it to you. Take it."
Dragonite's eyes lit up. With a cheerful cry, it clutched the bag to its chest like treasure and hurried back out into the sky. According to Mewtwo's "game rules," Dragonite's job was to patrol the surrounding seas, saving hapless trainers whose boats had been dashed by the storm. When the time came, Mewtwo would guide it telepathically to the right places.
Now alone again, Mewtwo took out another bag of Pokéblocks. This one was different: the packaging was pale pink.
Lin Feng had packed this batch himself. Originally, they were meant for his Gardevoir, but since Mewtwo had insisted on leaving in a hurry, Lin Feng had handed them over instead. Gardevoir's food could be remade at any time.
But Mewtwo didn't see it that way. In its mind, this pink package was special, prepared for it and it alone. The thought softened its expression ever so slightly. A rare hint of warmth touched its lips as it murmured, "Don't worry. I'll consider your words."
After finishing the meal, Mewtwo's long fingers flexed, and psychic energy surged outward. The sheer power of it was overwhelming, saturating the atmosphere.
The sky darkened unnaturally, clouds boiling into black storm masses. Winds howled, whipping the ocean into towering waves that rose like living mountains. In moments, a tempest engulfed dozens of kilometers of sea, the fury of nature itself bent to one Pokémon's will.
Watching the chaos outside, Mewtwo whispered to itself. "The strongest Pokémon Trainer…"
It sat silently in the chamber, eyes lost in thought. During its travels, Mewtwo had discovered that nearly every human Trainer it encountered seemed to be chasing that single goal. To be the strongest. To stand at the summit.
And so, it had devised this "game." A lure, baiting ambitious Trainers to come. Only the worthy would reach the center.
Everything was going according to plan.
Until
"Nyah?"
A sudden playful cry brushed its ears.
Mewtwo did not panic. It simply turned, puzzled. "Mew. Weren't you with him? Why have you come here as well?"
In the blink of an eye, a small pink creature appeared before it, floating like a hairless kitten with a mischievous smile.
It was Mew.
On its way here, Mew had been in such a good mood it even paused to tease a talking Meowth. The novelty had worn off quickly, though, and it soon left the poor Pokémon behind to continue its journey.
"Nyah~" Mew giggled as it spun in the air, its tail swishing. "You smell like me."
"That's natural," Mewtwo replied evenly. "I was created from your genes."
Seeing Mew again stirred complicated feelings in Mewtwo. When it had first learned the truth of its birth, it had been desperate to find Mew, to challenge the original and prove itself superior. But two months of travel had changed it. It had witnessed too much. It had learned there were many beings of great strength in this world, not just Mew.
And besides… they had already shared a meal once, hadn't they? Somehow, the burning need to prove itself had dimmed since then.
"Nyah…" Mew circled lazily, eyes drifting toward the storm outside. From this chamber's vantage, the blackened seas churned violently, whipped by unnatural winds. Mew tilted its head.
"What are you doing?"
"A game," Mewtwo answered. "A game for human Trainers."
"Game?" Mew's eyes sparkled with interest. "Is it fun? Can I play too?"
Mewtwo almost said no. But then it remembered Lin Feng's advice. Lin had told it once: don't always shoulder everything alone. Sometimes, letting others help was the wiser path.
Its eyes softened, and it gave the slightest nod. "Yes. In fact, I could use your help."
Mew's tail curled happily. "Nyah! Then what do we do?"
"You like acting, don't you?" Mewtwo asked, its voice low and deliberate. "Then help me put on a performance. When the Trainers arrive, we'll be ready."
Mew clapped its tiny paws with glee. "Nyah! Sounds fun!"
…
Outside, the storm battered the island. Waves roared and winds screamed, tearing at the shoreline. Trainers who had braved the tempest gathered, their clothes soaked and their bodies trembling.
Among them, Ash Ketchum and his friends finally arrived, led by the mysterious invitation letter that had brought them here. At the island's center, they found a vast battle arena, eerily quiet beneath the black sky.
Ash frowned, glancing around. "That's weird. When we were crossing, there were dozens of Trainers. Why are there only three left now?"
Before anyone could answer, a shadow descended.
A voice, cold and commanding, rang in their ears.
"Welcome, Trainers. Congratulations on reaching this place. Now, release your Pokémon. Among you, I will choose… the strongest Trainer."
It paused.
"And the decision will be mine alone."
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