Compared to Ash's Pikachu, the cloned Pikachu was much bolder by nature.
As the cloned Pokémon that had spent the most time by Mewtwo's side, it understood the situation better than anyone.
It was also far more independent than most other Pokémon.
So while Ash and Mewtwo were still discussing their strategy and organizing the remaining Pokémon to take shelter, the cloned Pikachu quietly began gathering a group of Pokémon, preparing to escape from the island.
What it didn't know was that Ash had noticed everything.
Ash understood that the cloned Pikachu had an exceptionally strong will and was practically inseparable from Mewtwo, so he had deliberately kept an eye on it.
Sure enough, it did exactly what he had expected.
"Mewtwo, if you still don't fully understand what I told you earlier, come with me. After you see this, you'll understand."
Ash led Mewtwo to the top of a hill overlooking the area where the cloned Pikachu had gathered everyone.
Since Ash could understand Pokémon speech, he heard every word they said.
*"If we stay here any longer, the humans will capture us and use us as laboratory subjects again."*
*"This is our chance. We have to escape."*
*"But... if we run away, where can we possibly go?"*
*"The world is vast. We can go anywhere."*
*"There's always a place in this world where we can live."*
Most of the Pokémon gathered by the cloned Pikachu were Water types.
Perhaps it was something in their instincts that drew them toward the sea, allowing them to embrace the escape plan so readily.
Mewtwo silently watched as they crossed the lake.
It made no attempt to stop them.
"Mewtwo, you saw it yourself."
Ash spoke while Mewtwo was deep in thought.
"Not every Pokémon thinks the same way you do."
"You're right."
Mewtwo nodded.
"Some want to leave. Others want to stay. For those who choose to remain here, I'll protect them with my own strength."
"But for those who wish to leave... I won't stop them."
"Even if I created them, I have no right to interfere with their freedom."
"So now you understand."
Ash smiled faintly.
"They're not tools. They're living beings with their own thoughts and their own lives."
He wanted Mewtwo to completely abandon its prejudice toward cloned Pokémon, which was why he had shown it this scene.
"Then... what should I do about their freedom?"
"No one has the right to take it away."
"When they leave this island and become part of nature, they'll be true wild Pokémon."
"They might meet Trainers like me."
"They might even, like your Rhydon, have children and begin new generations."
"That's what life is."
After hearing Ash's explanation, Mewtwo's heart was stirred.
Looking at the boy standing beside it, it silently thought, _"Just as I was destined to meet you... perhaps this encounter was fate as well."_
_"Ash... you're truly an astonishing human."_
Without either of them realizing it, the bond between Ash and Mewtwo had slowly grown from simple curiosity into genuine trust.
As for the cloned Pikachu and the other Pokémon fleeing the island...
There was only one thing Ash and Mewtwo could do.
Standing on the distant shore, they silently watched over them, escorting them with their eyes and praying they would leave safely.
Suddenly, Ash's expression turned serious.
"They're here."
Giovanni's airships suddenly emerged from behind the hillside.
Each vessel fired eerie crimson energy blasts, targeting the Pokémon that had just reached the lakeshore.
Any Pokémon struck by the beams was instantly paralyzed, unable to move. Poké Balls dropped from the airships, capturing them one after another.
In the end, only the nimble cloned Pikachu was still dodging desperately.
But no matter how agile it was, it couldn't evade such a relentless barrage forever.
Before long, it was cornered with nowhere left to run.
Just as despair began to set in, a black Shadow Ball shot through the air, intercepting the incoming energy blast.
Mewtwo had arrived.
The moment it saw Mewtwo, tears welled up in the cloned Pikachu's eyes.
Mewtwo unleashed another wave of psychic power.
A powerful psychic pulse swept across the battlefield, forcing every captured Poké Ball to spring open. The imprisoned Pokémon were immediately released.
Once Mewtwo revealed itself, Team Rocket's airships ceased their attack and hovered in front of it.
Then Giovanni stepped forward.
"So it really is you, Giovanni."
"We meet again, Mewtwo."
Faced with the possessiveness in Giovanni's eyes, Mewtwo remained completely unfazed.
"I've become far stronger than I was when I was under your control. Do you really think you can still manipulate me as you please?"
"You have indeed grown stronger," Giovanni replied calmly. "But humanity's technology is more than capable of sealing away that power."
As he spoke, two robots, one blue and one red, descended on either side of Mewtwo.
The large ear-like devices on their heads emitted powerful electromagnetic waves.
The resonance between the two machines generated an overwhelming force that slammed Mewtwo into the ground.
Yet Mewtwo emerged completely unharmed.
"You think these soulless machines can defeat me?"
After all, Mewtwo's true power wasn't simply psychic energy.
"Precisely because they have no hearts," Giovanni answered, "their only objective is to capture you."
Giovanni understood this well.
He trusted machines, not Pokémon.
The robots increased their output.
Once again, Mewtwo withstood the crushing force before unleashing an overwhelming burst of psychic power, blasting both machines backward and smashing them into the nearby cliffs.
Giovanni wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"You're right. Machines without hearts can't truly harm you."
"But because you've gained a heart..."
"You've also gained a weakness."
"I may not be able to defeat you head-on."
"But the real battlefield... is that island."
"You have more companions there than just these, don't you?"
Following the direction Giovanni pointed, countless helicopters and airships were already closing in on the island.
Domino, who had appeared earlier, activated the flight pack on her back and took to the sky.
"This is Domino."
"The operation begins now."
Yet instead of panicking, Mewtwo simply smiled.
"Giovanni... you may not believe this, but I have companions too."
Those words immediately wiped the calm expression from Giovanni's face.
He turned toward the island. A pillar of flames suddenly erupted into the sky.
An instant later, one of his airships exploded, black smoke billowing everywhere.
"What... is that?"
Even Giovanni couldn't hide his disbelief.
A terrifying Charizard was tearing through his forces.
No...
It was slaughtering them.
Not a single airship could withstand even one swipe of its claws.
That meant only one thing.
Ash had already taken control of this battle.
...