In this world created by Molly's heart, she was nearly omnipotent.
Yet, Ash continued to defeat the Pokémon she summoned. In this realm, a Pokémon only lost when Molly's subconscious accepted that they had been beaten. This was precisely why Entei had grown interested in Ash; seeing the bond between him and Houndoom, the legendary beast couldn't resist stepping in personally to serve as a sparring partner. Perhaps, deep down, Molly still held onto her fond memories of Ash.
Riding on Entei's back was an incredible experience, prompting Ash to chuckle. "Entei, one day, I'm definitely going to catch a real Entei!"
"If it's you, perhaps you truly can," the beast replied.
Entei brought Ash to the top floor of the tower. Before they arrived, the teenage phantom of Molly had vanished. The real Molly was resting against Delia, lost in a beautiful dream. Though Ash hated to shatter such a peaceful illusion, he knew the truth: Delia wasn't Molly's mother, and Entei wasn't her father.
"Mom!"
"Ash, you're here!"
Ash nodded and gently patted Molly's shoulder. "Molly, wake up."
"Big Brother Ash, you came! This is wonderful... Papa and Mama are back, and now I get to see you too!" Molly smiled happily; it had been so long since her home felt this full.
Ash remained silent for a moment, struggling to find the right words. It was Delia who finally spoke. "Molly, the truth is... I'm not your mama. I'm Big Brother Ash's mama."
"Mama?" Molly looked at Delia in disbelief, jumping out of her embrace with tear-filled eyes.
"Molly, you can't stay here. Come with us," Delia urged, hoping the girl would leave her self-imposed isolation.
Well, since his mother had been so direct, Ash had to follow suit. Predictably, the dream shattered. Molly's emotions surged violently, sending shockwaves through the tower.
"No! No!"
As if her heart were being encased in ice again, jagged crystals began to erupt throughout the room. Sensing Molly's pain, the Unown at the peak of the tower went into a frenzy. Ash quickly moved to shield Delia.
Massive crystal pillars walled Molly off. As she panicked, Entei manifested beside her once more. "Molly, what's wrong?"
"Big Brother Ash is trying to take Mama away!"
At her words, the crystal barrier shattered. Entei stood before Ash and Delia, its eyes burning. "Let that woman go!"
Seriously? These lines make me sound like the villain... Ash thought.
"Molly, I promise you, I won't let you feel lonely or helpless ever again!" Ash ignored Entei's threat and looked directly at the girl.
"Liar! You haven't come to see me in years!" Molly cried, her faith in his promises broken.
"Boy, leave. If you won't walk out, I'll throw you out!" Entei stepped toward Ash.
"You really think I can't beat you?" Ash gripped a Poké Ball.
"Go away! I never want to see you again! I just want my Papa and Mama!" Molly's final scream served as the starting horn for the ultimate battle.
"Charizard, I choose you!"
"Roar!"
Charizard's level was significantly higher than the newly evolved Houndoom's. Its physique, honed by the System's Macho Brace, radiated an overwhelming pressure.
"Flamethrower!"
A stream of brilliant red dragon-fire clashed head-on with Entei's violet fire orbs. The powers were perfectly matched, resulting in a massive explosion.
"Dragon Claw!"
The tempo of the battle hit its peak instantly. Before the smoke could clear, Charizard lunged through the blast, slamming a glowing green claw into Entei and sending the legendary beast flying.
Charizard's combat prowess was now truly monstrous.
"Entei, do you honestly believe keeping Molly trapped here is good for her?" Ash questioned the beast, who appeared relatively unscathed.
"Whatever Molly desires!" Entei roared, shrouding itself in flames and tackling Charizard with enough force to knock the dragon back.
"Hmph. Molly is just a child. Since she calls you 'Papa,' you should be thinking of her future! If you can't do that, then get out of my way!" Ash didn't need to look at Charizard; their bond was so deep he could feel its status perfectly.
"Charizard, drag this stubborn Entei out of here!"
Thump-thump!
Their heartbeats synchronized. Crimson-gold flames erupted around Charizard. Wings of pure fire unfurled as the dragon underwent its dazzling transformation.
Bond Evolution!
With a massive claw, the transformed Charizard slapped the stunned Entei across the room, followed by a Flamethrower that blasted the beast clean out of the tower.
Entei managed to catch itself as the tower sprouted crystal spikes to act as footholds. Even without the ability to fly, Entei had total environmental support in this place.
Through the Bond Evolution, Ash and Charizard were of one mind. Ash could see what the dragon saw and feel its every movement. He could command the battle from a distance with perfect clarity.
"Charizard, show this phantom our true power!" Ash had been annoyed with this "Entei" from the start. Ever since it kidnapped his mother, he had been waiting for the chance to give it a proper thrashing.
"Don't push your luck!" Entei snarled from its crystal perch, baring its teeth and launching a counter-attack.
Charizard banked sharply, dodging the strike and returning fire instantly. The dragon and the lion began a high-speed pursuit around the exterior of the crystal tower.
While Charizard kept Entei occupied, Ash knelt beside Molly. "Molly, I promise I'll find your real father. Dr. Hale has encountered some trouble, and he's waiting for us somewhere in this world."
Seeing her tears, Ash felt a pang of sympathy. Molly gripped his sleeve tightly. "Big Brother Ash... can you really bring Papa back?"
Ash nodded confidently. "I'll bring him back right now."
He turned to Delia. "Mom, look after Molly. I'll be right back!"