Chapter 159 – 159

Hikaru awoke in the Dream Workshop. This time, upon entering the dream, it seemed like he had brought something with him—the stone statues of Ai (Amber) and Tapu Fini. As he examined them, he realized they were the exact same items he had crafted in the real world.

Bringing real-world objects into the dream world… Hikaru pondered. Could these two statues be trying to convey something?

Floating nearby was Doublade.

“Yowuu~!”

Doublade spun its ribbons excitedly, flying around the Dream Workshop, curiously lifting the black stone on the little table with its ribbons.

It had always heard Lilligant and Grotle talking about the Dream Workshop, which made it quite annoyed—after all, the first time it had entered the dream, it got beaten up. For a long time afterward, it never got another chance to come back.

So this was the electricity-conducting stone they’d mentioned? Then… what about the white one that served as a fire source? Was that in the forging chamber?

“Yowuu—” Doublade held the black stone high, but it seemed… the stone wasn’t too happy about being lifted?

Huh? It doesn’t like being lifted up?

“ROAR!”

Suddenly, Doublade heard a distant roar. A weak electric current instantly surged through its body!

BZZZZZZZT—!

“That’s the Dark Stone,” Hikaru explained. “It holds the spirit of the Legendary Dragon.” Seeing yellow sparks flicker across Doublade’s body and its scrunched-up expression (＞Д＜), Hikaru knew it had been paralyzed!

“Here’s some paralyze medicine,” he said, pulling out a spray from his Dream Backpack and applying it to Doublade.

“Yowuu~! (Thanks, thanks!)”

Doublade quickly placed the Dark Stone back where it belonged, its ribbons flapping in the air as it grumbled under its breath. So stingy! What kind of legendary dragon gets mad just from being picked up?!

“It seems the Dark Stone’s power has recovered a lot.”

With that thought, Hikaru followed the usual process and channeled power into the stone. He soon received a notification that the Dark Stone’s mood had improved.

Next up was the Light Stone—and he also had to check on Volcarona’s egg.

“Yowuu~!” Doublade had already moved on from the Dark Stone. It had discovered something much more exciting: the treasures Walking Wake had brought back from various Pokémon’s dreams! Though they were a chaotic mess, some of them were genuinely useful.

Like a Steel Gem!

Doublade’s eyes sparkled! （⊙X⊙）!

It remembered Metagross bragging about how amazing Unovan Steel Gems were—high-end imported goods! It had been so jealous back then. And now? Here it was, in the dream world’s workshop! Just look at that shine and clarity, the dense Steel-type energy within!

Doublade immediately wrapped its ribbon around the gem, then rummaged around and found a Ghost Gold Nugget from a Cofagrigus’s mouth. Left ribbon held the Steel Gem, right ribbon the Ghost Gold—like a nouveau riche, it excitedly spun in place, performing Swords Dance.

Doublade’s Attack stat sharply rose!

Hikaru opened the door to the Dream Workshop.

And the first thing he saw… left him stunned.

“Mewtwo?!”

Hikaru stood frozen at the doorway, staring at the three Pokémon in front of him.

Calyrex, covered in mud and holding a hoe, looked like a muddy bunny.

Walking Wake, fur puffed and full of claw marks, resembled a scolded house dog after tearing the place apart.

And standing tall with a serious expression, fists clenched tight—was the Genetic Pokémon itself.

Mewtwo hadn’t expected to run into Hikaru like this. Its mind raced, processing countless options in an instant.

Should it reveal its identity to this craftsman?

Although it didn’t know how this legendary craftsman had learned its name…

“Here, this is what you’re looking for.”

Before Mewtwo could decide whether to make up an alias or speak the truth, Hikaru had already handed over the two statues. Mewtwo froze, instantly understanding everything.

“You know I exist… You know who I am? When did you figure it out?”

Mewtwo watched Hikaru closely, mentally constructing dozens of potential identities for him.

“Just a simple craftsman,” Hikaru said with a smile, “one who happens to know a bit more than most.”

The smile was genuine—like sunlight, warm and free of any malice.

Mewtwo remained silent, then gradually, a small smile formed on its lips.

Yes… there was no need to worry about the shopkeeper’s true identity. The fact that he lived in Shinto, a secret place in itself, already proved he wasn’t ordinary. But more importantly, Mewtwo could sense the purity in his heart—an untainted soul that had no desire to manipulate or exploit.

Of course, Mewtwo didn’t realize this “purity” was a result of the Tranquil Pendant, which not only boosted Hikaru’s resistance to telepathy but also made it difficult for powerful psychics to read his thoughts—thus appearing as a “pure heart.”

Mewtwo turned its attention to the statues. It was moved.

Ai—or rather, Ai No.2—looked exactly as she did in its memories. She had always been cheerful. But then, she disappeared. At their final farewell, she thanked him…

And the other statue depicted a Pokémon Mewtwo had never seen before.

“That’s Tapu Fini, a guardian deity of Alola. It has the power to allow the living and the dead to meet again,” Hikaru explained.

“When these two statues are used together, combined with an item made with strong spiritual energy—like the Cloth of the Spirit World—you can intertwine this world and the next, and meet the one you’ve longed for once more.”

He handed the cloth to Mewtwo. “During testing, I did see the girl, but we couldn’t communicate. Maybe because there was no real bond between us.”

“So the rest… is up to you. Go on. Write your words of gratitude, and you’ll see your friend again.”

“But don’t lose yourself in the illusions. If you dwell too long, you might be trapped between the realms of the living and the dead.”

Hikaru’s voice drifted softly in Mewtwo’s mind as it listened in disbelief, a long daze overtaking its heart.

It was like a dream…

No—this was the dream world!

“Ai No.2 doesn’t even count as a living being anymore… Can I really see her again?”

Hikaru responded, “Anything that once existed in this world counts as life. And all lives will cross paths and give rise to something.”

“If you had to choose a Trainer… who would it be?”

“Of course—it’d be Ai.”

In Hikaru’s view, this Mewtwo was the one from the movie timeline. Though it may have lived in Cerulean Cave, it probably never battled Red, and characters like Yellow or Agatha didn’t exist in this world.

Which meant… the only trainer left—was Giovanni.

But Mewtwo rejected Giovanni’s ideals. That’s why it left Team Rocket. Once it regained its lost memories, the trainer it truly yearned for… was Ai, long since gone.

Isn’t that, in a way, a question of lifespans? Hikaru mumbled to himself.

And Mewtwo was thinking the same.

Long-buried memories returned—its first conversation with Ai in that pitch-black world of the mind.

[Who are you?]

[I’m just like you.]

[A human? Am I human too?]

[Maybe. Since you can talk.]

[Or maybe… you’re my Pokémon.]

Gripping the statue tightly, Mewtwo used its telekinesis to etch words onto the Stone of Gratitude, just as Hikaru had shown it.

“I want to thank… Ai No.2. I want to thank you.”

“In the past, I asked meaningless questions in the darkness—where is this place? Who am I? Who brought me here?”

“It was you. You called out to me from the dark and taught me what cities are, the sun, the wind, stars, night… and tears… and life.”

“Do you remember? You told me not to cry, because I was still alive. You told me to keep living, because life would be interesting.”

“And it was interesting. I experienced so much. There’s so much I want to say to you.”

“So please… let me see you again…”

Mewtwo’s voice grew fainter, like a dream. As it trailed off, a thick mist rose around the Dream Workshop. The two statues began to glow with a soft, white light.

They were activating!

『Hm?』 Calyrex and Walking Wake both looked at the fog in surprise.

They had been completely lost during the earlier conversation, but they at least understood that Mewtwo had also sought Hikaru’s help. Now, seeing the statues’ combined power—both Pokémon were awestruck.

Well, only Calyrex was impressed. Walking Wake didn’t care about such things.

『Friend, your tools have helped another Pokémon.』 Calyrex smiled warmly, proud to witness such a moment.

In everyone’s eyes, Mewtwo vanished into the mist without a trace. No warning. Only the lingering fog proved it hadn’t been a dream.

『Their hearts are now connected,』 Calyrex murmured. Its eyes shimmered with blue psychic light—clearly, its powers had recovered. And now, having gained Mewtwo’s faith, it seemed able to sense Mewtwo’s status?

“Psychic-types always love peeking into others’ minds,” Hikaru joked.

Calryex turned bright red. 『N-No! I was just worried about that Pokémon! It’s my devoted believer!』

『More importantly, friend! Come see the giant crops that Wake and I grew!』

…

In the mist—

The workshop and the Pokémon were gone. Mewtwo wandered through the fog, confused and anxious, clinging to Hikaru’s words.

I can do this. I’ll see her again.

As it walked, the fog darkened until it became pitch-black. Yet Mewtwo wasn’t afraid—it stood frozen, gazing at the darkness.

That darkness was familiar. It was the void it had seen as a child—its earliest memories in the spirit world.

It had once known nothing. No self. No life. And then—

A light appeared!

Just like before, a gentle light pierced through the dark. It gathered, slowly forming the shape of a girl. She stared at her hands, then looked up at Mewtwo.

Though time had passed, Ai No.2 recognized Mewtwo immediately.

And just like long ago, when they first spoke…

Their hearts connected.

Ai No.2 heard Mewtwo’s words of gratitude. Mewtwo stepped forward, trembling, hardly daring to believe. Slowly, it knelt down.

After so many years, it was speechless. Emotions overwhelmed it—so much to say, but no idea where to start.

Tears fell in silence.

It simply bowed its head and gently embraced the long-lost friend it had finally found again.

“Ai, I lived on.”

Ai smiled, stroking Mewtwo’s forehead. “Mm, you’ve grown up.”

“I… I have so much to tell you. I’ve been to so many places. Living… is really such a fun thing.”

(End of Chapter)

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