"So the legend of Remoraid was true after all."
"Don't be so disappointed, Misty. There are plenty of great Water-type Pokémon out there. You're not missing out by not catching this one."
On their way to Olivine City, Ash and his friends had crossed a vast stretch of dry, rocky wasteland. Their water supplies had nearly run out.
Then they noticed a strange, colorful glow coming from Remoraid Mountain. As luck would have it, there was also a Pokémon Center nearby.
At last, they were able to replenish their water.
After speaking with Nurse Joy, they learned that the nearby ruins had once belonged to the ancient Remoraid civilization. They also met an elderly man named Gan Gogh, who had spent years searching for the mysterious light that appeared there.
Ash volunteered to help the old man find its source. Together, they discovered a colony of Remoraid and witnessed them building a towering pillar of ice. When the sunlight struck it, the pillar refracted the light into a magnificent rainbow-like display, the very phenomenon Ash and the others had seen earlier.
At long last, Mr. Gan Gogh fulfilled his lifelong wish and found the answer he had been seeking.
During the trip, Misty had also tried to catch a Remoraid.
However, the Remoraid were incredibly united. The moment a Poké Ball was thrown at one of them, they would all latch onto one another with their suction cups. Since they became one tightly connected mass, the Poké Ball couldn't lock onto a single target, making them almost impossible to capture.
After refilling their water supplies, the group resumed their journey toward Olivine City.
That led to the conversation from earlier.
"Really, Ash?"
After seeing Ash catch so many Pokémon, Misty's competitive spirit had been stirred. She wanted to catch a few more Water-type Pokémon herself. Every new partner would bring her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Hearing that, Ash began considering whether he should help her catch a couple of Pokémon.
After all, he knew she'd eventually catch a Corsola, and later they would encounter the Lanturn migration. He could always keep an eye out for good opportunities when the time came.
That day, they arrived at a place with breathtaking scenery.
Before them stretched an enormous cliff, so vast that its end couldn't be seen from where they stood.
"Wow... it's beautiful!"
Brock checked his travel guide.
"According to this, that's the legendary Mount Quena. It's considered one of nature's greatest wonders!"
Mount Quena?
The moment Ash heard the name, his mind immediately flashed back to the special episode Mewtwo Returns.
But judging from the current situation... had that storyline already begun?
Since they had come this far, Ash decided there was no way he would leave without visiting Mount Quena.
If he had the chance to meet Mewtwo again, he wanted to have a proper conversation with it... and perhaps help it find some peace.
After all, he had already left a deep impression on Mewtwo during their previous encounter. This time, it could become an important opportunity to deepen their bond.
If everything went well, the outcome might even exceed his expectations.
Besides, judging by the timeline, Mewtwo was probably still struggling with its own inner conflicts.
Perhaps fate had arranged things this way.
Just like in the original events, Ash and his friends spotted the bus headed for Mount Quena. However, the weather in the area was notoriously unstable. It suddenly began to rain halfway there.
In the end, they missed the bus.
If they wanted to wait for the next one, they'd have to wait an entire week.
"You'd better not go," a young woman advised them. "That bus was already full anyway, and the weather here is extremely unpredictable. Strong winds can spring up at any moment."
Sure enough, just as she had warned, a violent gust lifted the bus into the air.
Fortunately, with Mewtwo secretly watching over the area, the bus quickly stabilized and landed safely.
Ash naturally sensed what had happened.
However, while they were staying at a nearby inn, Professor Oak contacted him with something urgent. Ash decided to postpone his visit to Mount Quena for the time being. It wasn't as though it had to happen immediately.
"Professor Oak, you wanted to see me?"
"Ash, where did you get that Ponyta?"
"Oh, I got it at the Pokémon Exchange Meet. Why, Professor?"
"This is incredible. I discovered an attribute in that Ponyta unlike anything I've ever seen before. It may very well be the eighteenth Pokémon type."
Professor Oak shared his astonishing discovery.
"I see. When I caught that Ponyta, I only thought its unusual coat color looked interesting. I never imagined it would lead to such a major discovery," Ash replied, pretending to be surprised.
"Don't worry, Ash. If this turns out to be true, you'll definitely receive plenty of credit."
"Oh, by the way," Professor Oak continued, "what item did you give Slowpoke before you sent it over?"
"A Kings Rock. Don't tell me it already evolved into Slowking?"
"It did! After you sent Slowpoke and Shellder here, Slowpoke battled Wartortle and Croconaw a few times. Later, it put the Kings Rock on its head. Then that Shellder suddenly clamped onto its head, and the two evolved into Slowking. To be honest, I was completely stunned when I saw it happen."
"Professor, there are still countless mysteries surrounding Pokémon that we have yet to uncover. There are many discoveries still waiting for us."
On the other end of the call, Professor Oak smiled with admiration.
"Ash... you've really changed. You're even teaching me about Pokémon now!"
...
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