Chapter 167: Say It—Thank You, Mew Mama!
After Asahi completed the handover and bid farewell to Lance's prosecutors, a system notification rang in his mind.
[You infiltrated Rocket Team's New Island base, successfully drove a wedge between Mewtwo and Rocket Team, ambushed Giovanni during his battle with Mewtwo, and ultimately forced him into a critically injured retreat. You have earned the title: 'Standing Firm on the Land.']
[What do you mean I 'ambushed' Giovanni during his fight with Mewtwo? That was justice's backstab!] Asahi protested.
But he was long used to the system slandering him.
Still, critically injured retreat… That implied quite a lot.
So Mewtwo's last Shadow Ball had actually landed?
Asahi could only conclude that Giovanni truly had the endurance of a super Bug Catcher—taking a direct hit from Mewtwo's Shadow Ball and still surviving to escape the ocean.
Just as he was about to check his reward, Sabrina walked over, dragging the unconscious and tightly bound Ariana.
"Should we send her to the manor's basement now? Just like what you did to me back then?" Sabrina asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Lorelei and Grandpa Shiba both turned their gazes toward Asahi, eyes filled with intrigue.
Basement? What he did to Sabrina?
Did we just hear something scandalous?
Asahi was utterly confused.
Can you not phrase a standard interrogation in such a misleading way?
"I didn't! I wouldn't! Don't make things up!" Asahi quickly denied and changed the subject. "Let's take Ariana to Cinnabar Island first. We should rest."
Having just been through a battle, Asahi felt like soaking in a hot spring.
Turning to Lorelei, he suggested, "Lorelei, you're not in a rush to return to the Sevii Islands, right? How about joining us for the hot springs at Cinnabar Island?"
Lorelei thought for a moment—Rocket Team would likely stay quiet for a while after losing Giovanni—then nodded.
And so, the group set sail for Cinnabar Island.
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Cinnabar Island
When Mewtwo awoke, it found itself in an unfamiliar room, its armor nowhere to be seen.
Just as Mewtwo was feeling puzzled, a familiar voice rang out.
"You're awake. The treatment was a success."
Mewtwo turned its head and saw the trainer who had fought alongside it against Giovanni on New Island standing beside it.
A soothing aura emanated from him.
Seeing Mewtwo's confused expression, Asahi smiled and waved his hand.
"This is Viridian Force. It has healing abilities… You were badly injured. Healing you took quite a bit of effort, so don't push yourself so hard next time."
At that moment, Mewtwo finally realized why Asahi's voice sounded so familiar.
"The voice from my dreams… That was you?"
Back when it was lost and confused, it had been Asahi's voice that guided it.
Asahi didn't deny it.
"Allow me to introduce myself—Asahi."
Then he pointed to his shoulder.
"Mew, you already know."
"Mew~!"
Mew's pink figure floated into view, one hand stuffing an energy cube into its mouth while the other waved at Mewtwo in greeting.
[Mew Mama?]
Hearing Mewtwo's words, Mew immediately puffed up its cheeks and couldn't help but throw a tiny fist at Asahi.
"Mew~! (This is your fault!)"
"I was wrong!" Asahi quickly admitted defeat, then smoothly changed the subject.
"But Mewtwo really was created using your DNA extracted from an eyelash."
"In terms of bloodline, Mewtwo is indeed your child."
"Mew…"
Though the logic was sound, suddenly being upgraded to a mother made Mew feel strange.
Perched on Asahi's shoulder, Mew suddenly felt much less cheerful.
Meanwhile, Mewtwo stared blankly at the intimate interaction between Asahi and Mew.
Could it be…?
Mewtwo's gaze shifted between Asahi and Mew, a terrifying thought forming in its mind.
Unaware of Mewtwo's thoughts, Mew saw it looking at the energy cube in its hand and assumed it was interested in the food.
So Mew took out another energy cube from its stash and handed it to Mewtwo.
"Mew!"
Hoping that eating the energy cube would make Mewtwo forget about the whole "Mew Mama" thing, Mew prayed silently to the Tree of Beginning.
[This is…]
Mewtwo held the small energy cube, its eyes full of curiosity.
"Try it," Asahi said with a smile. "I made these myself. Mew loves them."
Mewtwo hesitated for a moment, then imitated Mew's movements and placed the energy cube in its mouth. The moment it tasted it, Mewtwo's eyes instantly narrowed.
For a Pokémon that had lived solely on nutrient solutions, this was a taste it had never experienced before.
Seeing this, Asahi's smile turned mischievous as he coaxed Mewtwo further…
"Say it—thank you, Mew Mama!"
"Mew!"
And so, another day of being chased and smacked by Mew began.
---
After eating Asahi's energy cubes, Mewtwo ultimately chose to stay by Asahi's side.
Besides Asahi's special relationship with "Mew Mama" and the strength he had demonstrated, which earned Mewtwo's respect, there was another reason—it had nowhere else to go.
Although, under Asahi's influence, Mewtwo didn't harbor the same deep hatred toward humans as in the original story, it was still confused about its existence.
Solving the question of where it came from was one thing, but the meaning of its life remained unanswered.
Asahi didn't have a definite answer for that either.
After all, the meaning of life is different for everyone.
So he suggested that Mewtwo seek out its own answer through social experience.
And what kind of social experience, exactly...?
"Mewtwo, welcome to the Kanto Division of the International Police!"
As the head of the Kanto Division, Asahi's authority was essentially limitless, and assigning Mewtwo an official position was effortless.
Rather than simply capturing Mewtwo, Asahi had chosen a different way to make it willingly stay by his side.
Mewtwo, now a member of the Kanto Division, felt a peculiar sensation.
Joining the International Police… Fighting against evil… Could this be its purpose?
Asahi handed Mewtwo a communicator, and it curiously examined the screen as a notification popped up.
[Rocket Team and Masked Corps Task Force]
[System Notification: Mewtwo has joined the group chat]
The moment Mewtwo entered the chat, a wave of reactions exploded within the group.
Psychic Prodigy Sabrina: [This is a thing?]
Clefable and Jigglypuff Are Adorable: [Welcome to the group, Mewtwo!]
Cinnabar Island Riddle Master: [Asahi, you're incredible (beyond belief).]
Beware of Online Scams: [???]
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