Chapter 55 - Mewtwo's Call

One week had passed since Julian's return to Pallet Town. He had been relishing the serene days, spending his time training alongside his Pokémon and strengthening their bond. During this peaceful interlude, he had also grown closer to Daisy, forging a connection that seemed to blossom with each passing day.

Julian often found himself lost in thought, fully aware that this tranquil respite would soon come to an end. He knew that the looming challenges of his Pokémon journey would begin anew, and the tranquil days of training and bonding would give way to the excitement and unpredictability of the road ahead.

As he contemplated the approaching days, Julian couldn't help but think, 'This peace will soon be but a memory, and the next adventure could begin at any moment—perhaps tomorrow or even today.'

Julian was outside the lab, preparing food for his Snorlax and other Pokémon, when he suddenly heard something approaching at full speed. He turned around and saw a Dragonite flying toward him at high speed. As it landed in front of Julian, it presented him with a square-shaped plate featuring a glass crystal in the middle, along with an envelope. Julian first looked at Dragonite and noticed a bag hanging from its shoulder, filled with cards.

Julian thought to himself, 'Looks like Mewtwo has begun his plan.'

He then redirected his attention to the plate, where a hologram appeared, displaying the image of a woman dressed in brown, her entire body covered except for her face.

Woman: "I apologize for the urgency of this message. You have been recognized as a promising Pokémon trainer, and as such, my master, the strongest Pokémon trainer, extends an invitation to a gathering."

Suddenly, the hologram changes to display a map with marked red routes.

Woman: "This map provides directions to the Pokémon Castle on New Island. Please review the enclosed reply card to indicate your attendance preference. The strongest Pokémon trainer is eager for your participation."

Julian opened the envelope and found a card with two checkboxes labeled "Yes" and "No."

Julian thought to himself, "I don't understand why people would go to such a place after receiving an anonymous message. It would make sense if Ash were to attend, but there seem to be more attendees."

He sighed and retrieved a pen from his pouch, then checked the "Yes" box on the card before handing it back to Dragonite.

Julian continued his inner monologue, "Even though I have reservations, I need to go there and ensure everything goes as it should. I'll only intervene if things deviate from the events in the anime."

As Dragonite flew away, Mew suddenly appeared out of nowhere and perched on Julian's shoulder. Mew curiously examined the hologram map projected onto the plate, leaving Julian taken aback by its sudden appearance.

Julian said to Mew, "We're going to visit an acquaintance soon, so I hope you won't cause any trouble when we get there."

Mew looked at Julian, tilting its head, and then nodded before floating over to greet Julian's Pokémon.

Julian thought to himself, "I should get ready to leave."

Julian walked inside and noticed that the TV was on, tuned to the Kanto Today news channel. This time, a different host was presenting the news.

Host: "Three days ago, the Viridian City Gym was completely rebuilt, with the gym leader still absent. Reports suggest that he has temporarily appointed someone else to manage the gym while he's away. The whereabouts of the gym leader remain unknown, but some residents speculate that he may be feeling remorseful for his actions towards the enigmatic legendary trainer and has gone into seclusion to reflect."

Hearing the ongoing rumors that continued to spread across Kanto and other regions, Julian felt uncertain about what to do but decided to keep a low profile and avoid the media. He switched off the TV and made his way to his room. After preparing some new clothes for himself, he was ready to embark on his journey to New Island.

As Julian stepped out, he noticed Professor Oak with Daisy. Daisy was dressed elegantly, giving the impression that she was headed somewhere special. Curious, Julian walked over to them to find out what was happening.

Julian: "Daisy, are you going somewhere?"

Daisy: "Yes, I'm heading to the Hoenn region. I've been invited to assist a world-famous Pokémon groomer who will be staying there to further her studies, and I'll be helping her."

Julian: "That's great! I hope you have a wonderful time in Hoenn and learn a lot about Pokémon grooming."

Daisy blushed, her feelings for Julian having grown over the past few days. His support and kind words made her very happy.

Julian: "By the way, Professor Oak, I'll be heading out for 2-4 days, but I'm not sure when I'll be back."

Oak: "Where are you going?"

Julian: "I'm going to meet an acquaintance."

Oak: "Alright, have a safe trip."

Julian: "Daisy, come on, I'll drop you at the seaport."

Daisy: "Thank you."

Julian: "Wait here, I'll bring my bike."

Julian walks away to retrieve his bike while Daisy and Professor Oak engage in conversation. He returns with his bike and signals for Daisy to sit behind him. She carefully climbs onto the bike, as it's her first time riding pillion.

Julian: "Hold on tight."

Julian starts the bike, and they ride to the port. Daisy holds him tightly as they navigate the journey. They arrive just in time, with Daisy's ship scheduled to depart in an hour.

Julian: "Take care of yourself."

Daisy: "You too."

She starts to walk away but suddenly turns around.

Daisy: "Will you come to Hoenn someday?"

Julian: "Don't worry, I will. As soon as I arrive there, I will let you know. But it might take a while, so you'll have to wait for me."

Daisy: "I'll wait."

She smiles and walks away, leaving Julian alone.

Julian thought, 'She's the second person who's made me feel like this. I hope Chloe is doing alright, even though our time was short, she really left a deep impact. Chloe, Daisy, don't worry, I will make both of you mine.'

Julian sighed as he watched Daisy's figure disappear from his sight.

Julian thought to himself, 'Now I have to head towards Old Shore Wharf. Most of the trainers will be there. Should I take the ferry? No, the weather is going to be altered by Mewtwo. I should ride Gyarados. I will arrive there pretty late. From Pallet Town to Old Shore Wharf is going to take me at least two days. Mewtwo would have already started his plan. Now that I think about it, Gary didn't go there. Well, it's better that way. He must have just ignored that message, thinking it's a fraud. It's not surprising, as he is very arrogant.'

Julian walked toward the sea and called out to Gyarados. He was still wearing the tungsten headgear with the Mega Stone embedded in it. Professor Oak had permanently given the Keystone to Julian after finishing his research on it.

Julian: "Buddy, we're going on a trip. Let's go."

Gyarados bowed down slightly, allowing Julian to jump onto his back. With a powerful dash, Gyarados headed in the direction Julian had indicated.

It was already nighttime, and Julian and his Pokémon found themselves on a remote island. They had just finished their training for the day. Gyarados had gone on his adventures, with Kabutops following closely behind. They searched for suitable opponents to battle, and when none were found, they sparred with each other. Even though Gyarados consistently won, Kabutops never felt disheartened. To them, it was just normal training, and they were like a family.

The next day, Julian continued his journey riding Gyarados very early in the morning. Mew tagged along, dangling on Julian's neck while playing with his hair. At times, Mew would move in front of Gyarados, fixating its gaze on the Mega Stone with sparkling eyes. Julian couldn't help but chuckle at Mew's childish and cute behavior, all while being fully aware of the immense power that lay dormant within the small and playful Pokémon.

Every Pokémon had the potential to cause massive destruction, but they rarely did so, as the places they inhabited were dear to them. It was a reminder that Pokémon should never be underestimated.

As Julian continued his journey, he found himself far from reaching the Old Shore. Suddenly, a storm began to brew. Dark clouds loomed overhead, unleashing torrents of rain. The sea grew turbulent, churning with colossal waves. Mew, who had been sleeping on Julian's shoulder, suddenly woke up. It sensed the presence of two beings—one was Mewtwo, and the other, a fellow Mew.

Julian understood that Mew had sensed both Mew and Mewtwo. Mew had grown more intrigued by Julian, seeing him as a mysterious figure. First, it had observed Julian surrounded by Omniforce, something even Mew couldn't wield. Mew had attempted to read Julian's thoughts but was blocked by a substantial amount of Omniforce. Now, it saw Julian predict the future. Mew had come to realize that Julian was indeed a unique individual, and it anticipated that following him would always lead to exciting adventures.