Because of the human attack a few days ago, Latias had been feeling terribly insecure.
Originally, Haru had arranged for her to stay tonight in the room next to Mewtwo, sharing with Canon.
But when night fell, Latias—still haunted by fear of another incident—felt that it would be much safer to stick close to the big psychic powerhouse, Mewtwo.
So the sleepless little jet went invisible, sneaking into Mewtwo's room.
Of course, she did get Mewtwo's permission first—Mewtwo, in a rare show of kindness, didn't mind.
Compared to humans, Mewtwo wasn't particularly harsh toward Pokémon… unless the subject was Mew.
So Latias's little request wasn't even worth mentioning to her.
However, she hadn't been in Mewtwo's room long before she was jolted awake by an uninvited guest: Cynthia.
Curiosity—and other reasons—kept Latias from dropping her invisibility. Instead, she quietly observed every move Cynthia and Mewtwo made.
That's how it ended up with an invisible Latias watching Cynthia and Mewtwo together, looking through Mewtwo's notebook.
As for what was written in that notebook…
Latias had always thought she understood humans better than most.
As a Pokémon species long accustomed to contact with humans, Latias and Latios could easily sense whether a person bore goodwill or ill intent toward them, whether they were kind or malicious.
She knew humans' daily routines, their likes and fears, all those quirks of human behavior.
If she and Latios wished, they could even disguise themselves as humans and blend in—flawlessly, aside from not being able to speak.
But even with all that knowledge, this was the first time Latias had seen something like this.
The notebook was filled with knowledge she had never once encountered before.
And she quickly realized a hard truth—maybe her understanding of humans was still far from enough.
Many secrets lay buried deeper, and Mewtwo had clearly gotten much further than she had.
When it came to understanding humans, Mewtwo was leagues ahead.
Yet even after peeking at the notebook, Latias couldn't really make sense of what was written there—nor why Cynthia reacted so strongly.
Could it be… the ultimate secret of humanity's survival?
Such a thought bubbled into Latias's head.
As for Cynthia, she was utterly dumbfounded.
In all her life, she had never seen such a "heavyweight" book—and the most outrageous part was that the author was a Pokémon.
Cynthia just couldn't wrap her head around why this supposedly innocent Pokémon, Mewtwo, would know so much.
Many things recorded in the notebook were so outlandish that Cynthia herself had never even imagined them.
And the kicker? Mewtwo had sketched each "essential exam point" in painstakingly detailed illustrations, complete with explanatory notes—like she was documenting some serious scholarly subject.
It was almost too much to process.
The further Cynthia flipped, the more outrageous it became.
The content wasn't exactly "hardcore," but plenty of the positions seemed well beyond human capability—requiring either impossible flexibility or psychic power to even attempt.
If it were her, Cynthia figured she could only manage up to maybe… the tenth page.
Wait—what the hell was she even thinking?!
Smack!
Face blazing red, Cynthia slammed the notebook shut.
She couldn't keep reading. Any further, and something would definitely happen.
This thing was nothing less than a forbidden Dark Bible—dangerous enough to warp the human mind.
And right then, perhaps noticing her reaction, Mewtwo—who had been rummaging for the "Lillie outfit"—turned her gaze toward Cynthia.
"What's wrong with you?"
"No… actually…"
Cynthia started to say something, but after glancing at the notebook again, she shook her head.
"Forget it, nothing."
"If you've got something to say, spit it out. Don't dither like some weakling girl."
As she spoke, Mewtwo laid the "Lillie Summer Outfit" she had found on the table in front of Cynthia.
Of course, this wasn't something Mewtwo had bought herself.
Even though Haru had given her cash, after the last time she got mocked for buying a "mom outfit" at a mall, Mew No. 2 (her shopping persona) had sworn off personal purchases.
This "Lillie outfit" was actually the first "gift" Mew had ever given her, insisting Mewtwo would someday "put it to good use."
Mewtwo had always liked the outfit, but because it was from Mew, she never wore it.
Wearing someone else's gift felt like "losing" to her.
Cynthia took the clothes from Mewtwo, grumbling inwardly:
I already am a girl, what's the problem? And aren't you one too?
Still, despite her silent retorts, Cynthia asked the question she'd swallowed earlier:
"I want to know… where exactly did you get the stuff in that notebook?"
"For example, this 'Hanged Man,' and this so-called 'Ancient Tomb Sect technique'—there's no way Haru taught you these, right?"
She opened the notebook again, pointing at the drawings.
The sketches didn't show the faces of the male and female figures, but from certain details Cynthia could tell the male figure had to be Haru.
As for the female figure… oddly familiar, yet unplaceable. Like a patchwork of multiple features sewn together into one chimera.
But the real shock came at page thirty.
On that page, the sketch did have a face.
And unless she was seeing wrong… that face belonged to Mewtwo herself.
In other words, Mewtwo had been drawing her own… lewd illustrations? With storylines, no less—like some kind of ultra-short doujin.
Cynthia could only stare. She couldn't fathom Mewtwo's mindset, nor guess what this artificial Pokémon thought about every day.
Maybe her relationship with Haru was even more complicated than anyone could imagine—layers deeper still.
That said, Cynthia still didn't believe Haru had done anything improper with Mewtwo.
In fact, the mere fact that their relationship was this bad was proof enough.
It wasn't like Mewtwo was secretly some tsundere who'd strip down in front of a man while shouting "idiot," "loser," or "I hate you most of all!"
Mewtwo, meanwhile, remained unbothered. To her, there was nothing shameful about any of this.
"Of course I didn't learn this from that guy. But I did my research."
"I'm someone who cares about facts. I don't make things up."
She even straightened her back proudly, clearly proud of her "achievement."
"Too bad I didn't keep video evidence… if only I'd had one of those Rotom Phones."
"My drawing skills are good, but inevitably, some things get lost in translation."
Her voice brimmed with genuine regret.
"…"
"You mean… you spied on all this?" Cynthia lowered her voice.
"How can you call it spying? I observed openly—with psychic powers."
"…You spied on Haru?"
"Who else?"
Mewtwo was perfectly matter-of-fact, showing not a shred of shame.
"…"
Cynthia opened her mouth to scold her—but instead of words, she pulled a video camera out of her pocket and began photographing every page of the notebook.
Fine. She'd take it back, study it carefully, then criticize Mewtwo properly.
At the very least, she had to set this kid straight—Mewtwo's "common sense" was already completely derailed.
As she made backups of her photos, Cynthia kept thinking this to herself.
Mewtwo noticed, but misread her actions as approval of her work. Any lingering shame evaporated, replaced by smug pride.
See? She really was the Pokémon who understood humans best!
Even humans had to learn about themselves from her.
At this rate, Mewtwo could practically call herself Professor of Humanity.
After Cynthia finished archiving everything, she reached again for the "Lillie outfit."
"Alright… I'm done here. Next, let's officially begin the 'Get Along with Haru' plan."
"It's finally starting?"
Mewtwo glanced at the Mega Stone lying on the desk. Her heartbeat quickened.
Yes… soon—very soon—she would gain the power of Mega Evolution.
And when that happened, she would rise again.
---
Night
Inside Haru's room, two powerful battlers clashed fiercely.
This wasn't their first battle—and it wouldn't be their last.
Both were determined to crush the other, but doing so was easier said than done.
Unless one could widen the gap, the fight would only drag on.
But both Haru and his opponent were simply too strong…
Haru
With ultimate power capped at 999,000, perfect mastery of tactics, no weaknesses.
Durability and ranged ability made him an impregnable wall.
He wielded secret arts like the Ultimate Bladder Sword, Ultimate Infinity, and the Ultimate Golden Slash.
In short, Haru was the strongest duelist alive.
Even "Ten Sticks per Second" wasn't his limit.
And his deadliest move—the terrifying Madfire Charge—was enough to drive anyone insane.
Liko
Equally, her ultimate power was 999,000.
Like Haru, she had mastered tactics to perfection.
But her endurance surpassed even his. Her resilience, stronger still.
Her 150-power "Rainstorm Hydro Pump" was fifty times scarier than Haru's terrifying moves.
Yet, in truth, the difference was only slight—too slight to sway the battle.
To truly surpass her rival, she needed something he lacked.
When Haru, in Primal Reversion, charged up his ultimate strike, Liko felt she had found the answer.
Yes—when he unleashed his Madfire Charge, that would be the very moment his spear of flame was weakest.
If she wanted to defeat Haru, this was her only chance.
So what if he held a flaming spear?
She would extinguish his fire with one peerless strike!
"Haru! Behold my Life Dew! Your mad flames mean nothing—for weeds never grew in me!"
"No weeds—that is the equation of my victory."
"Your fire cannot consume my grass, but my water can extinguish your flames! This is my all-out strike!"
"Haru, fall before me—fall beneath my world-shaking power!"
She gathered her full strength into one obliterating attack.
If it landed, nothing in existence could withstand it.
Absolutely nothing!
"What?! Gwah—!"
This sudden counterattack completely blindsided Haru.
He had gone all out, intending to finish it quickly.
But now his strength was waning, while his opponent still stood—ready to strike back.
Liko's move threatened to shatter his spear outright.
He could already feel defeat and collapse looming near.
What now? Was the title of strongest about to change hands tonight?
Not good. Not good at all.
Haru, burdened with the title of "strongest," had every reason not to lose.
And Liko… she was laughing madly.
Yet just as victory seemed within reach, a sudden disturbance—
A third figure appeared, changing the course of the battle entirely.
It was a beautiful blonde girl.
She wore a light dress, its hem fluttering like blossoms in the breeze.
Its color matched her flowing hair, making her the very picture of summer's brilliance. She moved with a buoyant step, radiating youth with every motion.
Her eyebrows were long and arched, her playful confidence shining through.
But that familiar silhouette stunned both Haru and Liko into silence.
Haru had been on the verge of collapse—yet this newcomer pulled him back from the brink, restoring his energy.
"Lillie?! What are you doing here?"
Yes, the girl before them looked exactly like Lillie—Haru's supposed "official girlfriend."
But Haru quickly shook his head. "No… you can't be Lillie. Who are you really?"
"Yes and no."
"You could always try guessing."
The girl wearing Lillie's face smiled softly.
"Of course… if you'd like, you can just treat me as Lillie."
Her gaze drifted, not-so-subtly, to Haru's "Italian cannon," which had somehow flared back to life. She swallowed nervously.
"Either way, I don't mind."
"How about we start with a little 'Moomoo Milk Collection' game?"
"?"
Haru stared at the flushed girl, a giant question mark hanging over his head.
What kind of development was this?
What kind of script was this supposed to be?!
Just like Haru, Liko was a bit stunned too.
That something unexpected would happen tonight didn't surprise her.
But the problem was… wasn't she supposed to be threatening Cynthia? How did things suddenly turn into Lillie out of nowhere?
Originally, Liko thought Cynthia would either simply not show up tonight, or else show up under some excuse like a "healing experiment." But Lillie? She really couldn't wrap her head around that one.
No way… could Cynthia have rushed off to Alola overnight just to drag Lillie here?
At that moment, Haru finally spoke:
"Mew, is that you? It has to be you, right?"
Yes—in Haru's mind, Lillie = Mew was the most reasonable explanation.
After all, Mew did have the ability to transform, and if she wanted to, she could completely take on someone else's appearance.
And with Mew's notorious love of mischief, disguising herself as Lillie just to stir up trouble was absolutely her style.
The more he thought about it, the more convinced Haru became: eight chances out of ten, this had to be that little keycap.
Still… for the cat to actually pop out at this timing—wasn't she just begging for punishment?
With that thought, Haru immediately entered Super Hero + Berserk Mode. He decided it was time to show Mew the true might of his Berserk + Spiral of Struggle Slash.
Let her see what it really means when people talk about a "drill that pierces the heavens."
He instantly launched the Fighting-type move Tackle, planning to capture her first, then properly "discipline" that cat.
He was determined to personally make sure this little keycap understood one thing: don't you dare joke around using Lillie.
But "Lillie" clearly wasn't planning to just submit. Facing Haru's sudden assault, she quickly moved to dodge.
"Don't be in such a rush. Is this how you usually treat Lillie?"
Truth be told, "Lillie" wasn't intending to actually get into anything physical with Haru.
But things seemed to be spiraling out of control…
Maybe disguising herself as someone else really hadn't been the best idea—if she'd just gone invisible, things would've turned out far simpler.
Too late for regrets now. She just had to find a way to deal with Haru.
Seeing the keycap still had the audacity to dodge, Haru launched another attack straight at "Lillie."
However…
It never even crossed Haru's mind that the Mew he owned had never once transformed into the Lillie standing before him.
Up to this very moment, Mew had been quietly sitting inside her Poké Ball, never once leaving it, never once pretending to be Lillie.
At least Haru wasn't wrong about one thing—his little keycap really was a connoisseur of mischief.
Even if she hadn't personally joined this farce, that didn't stop her from sharing it with others.
For example… Iono, far away in Paldea.
Or even Lillie, back in Alola.
After all, neither of them could punish her trainer from where they were. Playing a little prank on the side was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?
So thought Haki-Mew, who had already seen right through everything.
---
Paldea, Levincia…
"Well then, tonight's stream ends here! Good night, everyone~ Ciallo～(∠ • ω<)⌒☆"
The popular streamer Iono gave a final wave to the camera and then shut down her stream.
She stretched her face a little, stiff from keeping a smile too long, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Ever since her streams involving Haru, her popularity had stayed at a solid high.
Worldwide, you could count on one hand the number of streamers more famous than her.
But the cost was steep—every single day, she had to sink a huge chunk of time into her streaming career.
Honestly, Iono felt her battling skills had slipped a lot.
"Haah… if only Haru were here. I wonder when he's finally coming back…"
The girl stared blankly up at the ceiling, her mind drifting to that man far away in Kanto.
In truth, Haru had only been gone for less than three weeks. But to Iono, it felt more like three years.
During that time, Nemona often dropped by, eager to pry out of Iono any clue about when Haru might return to Paldea.
After all, Nemona had already defeated the Paldean Elite Four, leaving her just one step away from becoming Champion. And what she wanted most was a battle against Haru.
But even Iono herself couldn't say when he'd be back—so how could she possibly answer Nemona?
"Please come back soon… or at least let me see you somehow."
She whispered those words, closing her eyes as if making a wish.
And that wish… was quickly answered.
Though the way it was "answered" might not be to her liking.
Because on her computer screen appeared none other than Liko, Haru, and… Lillie. All three in their Primal Reversion states.
Iono quickly realized—thanks to having spoken with the real Lillie just hours before—that this "Lillie" was clearly fake. But that didn't stop her from choking on the absurdity of it all.
What the heck was this? Why was Haru surrounded by girls again—and this time, he was even going for Liko?
Wasn't Liko supposed to be the quiet, reserved, well-mannered one? Where did that "quiet and reserved" side vanish to?
And as for "Lillie"…
Iono's feelings were a tangled mess.
"At least she gets to participate. And me? What am I even doing here?"
Her head felt like it was sprouting a weirdly-shaped hat.
What she didn't know was… Lillie, all the way in Alola, was also watching the very same scene.
And she wasn't just seeing "Lillie" and Haru—she was even seeing Iono's room, along with that one line Iono had muttered: At least she gets to participate.
"Participate?"
Lillie repeated the word, and the more she thought about it, the more absurd it sounded.
What was that supposed to mean? If her Haru was using defensive equipment she had personally bought him, would that count as more "participation"?
So who was deceiving her Haru? Who was impersonating her to trick him?
Yes—since she hadn't seen the entire sequence of events, Lillie simply assumed her "pure" Haru had been tricked.
If he was tricked, then he was also a victim.
Poor Haru.
Maybe this fake "Lillie" had already been hiding by his side for quite some time, and Haru just never realized "Lillie" wasn't actually Lillie.
But then, the real question: who would be so bored as to pull a stunt like this and even send it to her and Iono as provocation?
Unconsciously, an image rose in her mind.
Lusamine. Could it be you?
With that thought, Lillie bolted from her room.
She needed to find that woman, to see exactly what she was doing.
At the very least, she had to confirm if that woman was even home.
---
At a small riverside restaurant in Alto Mare, a man, a woman, and a Meowth were wolfing down food with reckless abandon, shoveling it into their mouths like starved ghouls who hadn't eaten in ten days.
Halfway through their feast, the three suddenly choked up.
Not from sadness—but from joy and overwhelming emotion.
"No wonder they call this city the world's number-one tourist destination—even the food tastes this amazing!"
"Mhm! Today's the happiest day ever!"
"Feels so wonderful, nya."
"Finally, no more starving! We'll never be able to repay Boss Giovanni's kindness!"
The three chatted away between mouthfuls of food.
Then, as if all struck by the same thought, they couldn't hold back anymore—their tears flowed like noodles, streaming down their cheeks in an exaggerated display.
The surrounding tourists all turned to stare, bewildered.
What kind of people got so emotional they cried just from eating street food?
But the Rocket Trio were indeed deeply moved at this moment.
It had been too hard. Life had just been too hard…
Thinking back—what kind of days had they been living?
Ever since their Northern Expedition Plan had failed, the three hadn't had a single proper meal.
Every day they slept rough, eating whatever berries they could scrounge. Their lives were worse than beggars.
After leaving the north, they'd been assigned mission after mission by Team Rocket headquarters…
And yet every one of them ended in failure thanks to bizarre accidents.
Like the time they finally caught a Charmander—only for it to act like a spoiled baby, completely unfit for their bounty submission.
As a result, in Team Rocket's annual KPI statistics, the trio's record was dead last.
Jessie, James, and Meowth had all assumed Giovanni would finally drop the hammer on them—maybe even kick them out of Team Rocket altogether.
But to their utter shock, when they returned to headquarters, Giovanni waved his hand and announced a brand-new punishment system for the year: exile.
According to Giovanni, they would be exiled to an island far from the mainland, given only limited resources, and ordered to reflect on their failures.
Only by completing a major mission in the future would they be allowed to return.
The trio had expected some deserted, barren island—basically a survival reality show or "Rocket Castaway Chronicles."
Instead, Giovanni threw them straight into the world's number-one tourist city: Alto Mare.
And that so-called "limited resources"? In reality, it was a pile of local currency—enough for them to live happily for at least half a year.
This wasn't exile at all. It was basically an all-expenses-paid vacation! Giovanni was far too generous.
Of course, before leaving, they had still received strict instructions.
Given all their past blunders, this time their mission was a death order: failure would mean immediate execution as an example to the rest.
But to the Rocket Trio, even that sounded easy enough.
Their task? Cooperate with Alto Mare's Special Operations Investigation Team to capture a Pokémon that had escaped from Rocket headquarters.
Giovanni had said the expedition force sent this time was ridiculously large, packed with elite among elites.
And their opponent? A Pokémon less than one year old—likely not even able to tell right from wrong yet.
The disparity was laughable. Like sending a choir of Jigglypuff against a Blue-Eyes White Dragon—it couldn't have been easier.
Sure, Giovanni wanted them to lead the charge, but for battle-hardened Jessie and James, this was nothing.
They couldn't beat Haru's group—sure.
But a one-year-old Pokémon? Please.
Child's play.
"Looks like the heavens finally want us to earn some merit. Wonder what Boss Giovanni will reward us with."
Jessie sighed contentedly, setting down her now-empty plate.
James, his belly stuffed, snorted:
"A Pokémon less than a year old? That's laughable."
"Meowth, why don't we send you in first?"
"No problem, nya! A one-year-old Pokémon wouldn't have any fighting power at all—even if it were a pseudo-legendary. Just watch me shine, nya!"
Meowth—normally the weakest "Pokémon" on their team—puffed up with pride.
Finally, he had found someone he could bully.
"Come to think of it, why would the boss send so many people for such an easy task?" Jessie asked as she pulled Giovanni's "activity funds" from her pocket to pay the bill.
"Maybe the boss has finally seen our potential. He wants us back at headquarters soon—and this mission is just an excuse to promote us."
James slicked back his fringe, walking tall as though he were floating.
"Maybe I'll even replace the boss's Persian someday, nya."
"But… the intel doesn't list that Pokémon's abilities. Only its name—'Mewtwo.' Isn't that a problem, nya? Shouldn't we at least check its typing and moves first?"
Compared to the swelling egos of Jessie and James, Meowth at least tried to show caution.
"Doesn't matter. It's just a newborn Pokémon."
"Whatever its type, we'll crush it all the same."
Jessie had never felt so confident about a mission since joining Team Rocket.
Victory was guaranteed.
---
Morning.
The water city lay shrouded in mist, its outlines faint and dreamlike. The stone bridges slowly emerged in the dawn light, spanning the gently flowing canals like silent messengers of time.
From the river came the rhythmic splash of oars, as gondoliers began their day's work. Their strong arms moved powerfully through the veil of morning fog.
As the sunlight pierced through the haze, a boy and a girl stepped out of a hotel.
The boy walked slightly ahead, speaking back over his shoulder as they went.
The girl frowned deeply, listening to his words before asking:
"Goh, just who are you taking me to meet?"
"You'll find out soon enough. Trust me—you won't be disappointed."
Goh didn't turn around, continuing to lead the way.
If Chloe had circled around to face him, she would have seen the twisted expression on his face.
It was a grotesque mask of greed and desire, unsettling to behold.
Yes—he had already made up his mind.
Yesterday, all it had taken was a few critical words about Haru, and Chloe had immediately quarreled with him.
What did that prove?
It proved Chloe's loyalty to him wasn't absolute.
And if loyalty wasn't absolute… then it was absolute betrayal.
And betrayal had to be punished.
So why not sacrifice this so-called "friend" in exchange for greater power?
Tragically…
Though Chloe had fought bitterly with him the day before over Haru, she still saw Goh as her childhood friend. So she hadn't grown overly suspicious.
The two darted through alleys and canals, the sun growing dimmer and dimmer around them, as though they were descending into the depths of a shadowed abyss.
Perhaps it was because of the unease gnawing in her chest, but Chloe's pace slowed.
She stared at the back of her childhood friend, and suddenly… his silhouette no longer looked human.
Instead, he looked like some kind of monster wearing a human skin.
***************************
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