Ash gently set Jessie down on her feet, his hands lingering for a split second to steady her as she swayed, still dazed from the near-death experience and the sudden rush of emotions.
Her wide eyes remained locked on his face his determined expression, the faint trail of blood at the corner of his mouth from earlier blows, the protective fire still burning in his gaze.
For the first time, she truly saw him: not the annoying kid they'd chased across regions, not the "twerp" they mocked in every failed scheme.
She saw a man who had risked everything without hesitation to save her life.
Before she could speak, Ash turned his head slightly, catching James and Meowth's terrified gazes from their hiding spot among the boulders.
His eyes flicked toward the distant shoreline where their Meowth-shaped balloon was still concealed, then back to them.
The message was unmistakable: Get her out. Now. Leave the island immediately.
James swallowed hard, tears still streaking his face. Meowth's ears flattened, but he gave a sharp nod. Without a word, the duo scrambled forward.
James gently took Jessie's arm while Meowth hopped onto her shoulder.
"Come on, Jess," James whispered, voice thick.
"We're getting you out of here."
Jessie blinked slowly, her mind still reeling, but she let them guide her. She cast one last backward glance at Ash his silhouette framed against the glowing aftermath of the psychic explosion and something warm and unfamiliar bloomed deep in her chest.
Then James and Meowth pulled her into the underbrush, disappearing toward the hidden balloon.
Ash watched them go until they were out of sight. Only then did he turn back to Mewtwo.
The Legendary Pokémon hovered silently, arms crossed, psychic aura simmering but no longer raging.
He had observed the entire rescue the human boy's impossible speed, the selfless act, the way the woman looked at her savior.
Something unreadable flickered in Mewtwo's glowing eyes.
"You delayed the fight… for one insignificant human," Mewtwo said, voice low and probing.
Ash rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. His aura reignited, blue light washing over his torn jacket and bruised skin, already beginning to knit the worst of the damage.
"She's not insignificant," he replied simply. "No one is."
Mewtwo studied him for a long moment.
"…Very well. Finish this."
The final clash began.
Mewtwo struck first teleporting directly above Ash and slamming downward with a Psycho-enhanced Dive Kick, the air screaming as psychic force compressed beneath his descending foot.
Ash sidestepped at the last instant, Renewal Taekwondo footwork carrying him in a tight circle.
He countered with an upward Aura Rising Knee, the strike exploding against Mewtwo's guard and forcing the clone creator to flip backward mid-air.
They met again in the center of the clearing.
Mewtwo unleashed a storm of Shadow Balls five dark orbs launched in rapid succession, curving unpredictably through psychic guidance.
Ash danced through them, aura-enhanced reflexes turning him into a blur. He closed the gap with a Renewal Taekwondo Dash Kick, heel leading, blue energy trailing like comet fire.
Mewtwo blocked with crossed arms, but the impact drove him back several meters, boots gouging trenches in the stone.
"You fight with everything body, mind, spirit," Mewtwo observed, almost clinically.
"Yet you hold nothing back for yourself."
Ash grinned through the pain. "That's the point. I fight for everyone else."
Mewtwo's eyes narrowed. He raised both hands, summoning a massive Psychic storm debris, water from the nearby shore, even fragments of the earlier battlefield rose into a swirling vortex around him. With a roar he hurled the entire maelstrom forward.
Ash planted his feet. His aura flared brighter than ever deep blue transitioning into brilliant white-gold at the edges.
He channeled Renewal Taekwondo's ultimate technique: Dragon Emperor's Descent.
This wasn't just a technique; it was a culmination legs cycling in a aerial barrage of kicks, each one amplified by explosive aura bursts and psychic precision, forming a descending vortex of blue-white power that resembled a coiling dragon.
The air screamed as Ash's final strike pierced the Psychic Sphere's core. For a breathless instant, the two forces locked purple chaos against blue harmony then Ash's technique overwhelmed it.
The sphere shattered in a deafening explosion, shards of psychic energy dissipating harmlessly into the ether.
Mewtwo was caught in the backlash, hurled backward and slamming into the ground with earth-shaking force, a crater forming beneath him.
When the dust settled, Mewtwo lay there, struggling to rise on one elbow. His aura had faded to a faint glow; his body trembled from exhaustion. For the first time, the world's strongest Pokémon... was defeated.
Ash landed lightly nearby, breathing ragged but steady. He approached slowly, offering a hand not as a victor, but as an equal.
Mewtwo stared up at him, eyes wide. "How... a human... defeated me?"
Ash smiled softly. "Because I wasn't fighting alone. Every bond I've made Pokémon, friends, even rivals they all gave me strength. You were made to be perfect, Mewtwo, but perfection doesn't mean isolation. It means finding your place in the world."
Mewtwo pushed himself up slowly, wincing. "I was born from human ambition... a tool for destruction. What place could I have?"
Before Ash could respond, a soft, playful giggle echoed through the air. A pink blur materialized between them, twirling in mid-air with childlike glee. Mew the mythical ancestor of all Pokémon hovered there, its tiny form radiating pure, joyful energy. It tilted its head curiously at Mewtwo, then at Ash, letting out a cheerful "Mew!"
The group Ash's companions (Misty, Brock, Sabrina, Eevee and Pikachu), the three other trainers, and Nurse Joy gasped in unison, eyes wide with amazement.
"Is that... Mew?!" Misty whispered, her voice awed.
Brock stared, slack-jawed. "The original... the source of all Pokémon DNA!"
The blue T-shirt trainer stammered, "No way... two Legendaries in one day?!"
Even Sabrina, usually composed, smiled faintly. "Incredible."
Mew floated closer to Mewtwo, nuzzling against his arm gently, as if offering silent comfort to its "child." Mewtwo's eyes softened, a rare vulnerability crossing his features.
Ash stepped forward, addressing everyone humans and Pokémon alike. "See? This proves it. Every one of us human or Pokémon has a reason to live. We're all connected. Mewtwo, you weren't created just to destroy; you were created to exist, to find your own path. Like Mew here free, curious, full of life. And like all of us, fighting for what we believe in. That's what makes the world worth saving."
His words hung in the air, resonating deeply. Pikachu nodded vigorously from Ash's shoulder, "Pika pi!" The other trainers exchanged glances, their earlier fear replaced by quiet reflection. Nurse Joy clasped her hands, touched by the sentiment.
Mewtwo looked at Ash, then at Mew, who bobbed encouragingly. Something shifted in the cloned Pokémon's gaze affection, perhaps, or the first spark of true connection. "Your words... they stir something within me. A purpose beyond rage."
Ash extended his hand again. "Then come with me. Travel, learn, see the world not as an enemy, but as a friend. What do you say?"
Mewtwo hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I... accept. But first..."
He raised one hand, psychic energy gently enveloping the three other trainers, Nurse Joy, and their Pokémon. Their eyes glazed over briefly as Mewtwo altered their memories erasing the island's events, the battles, the Legendaries. They would remember only a vague, pleasant dream, awakening safely on the mainland with no knowledge of the storm or Mewtwo's plans.
One by one, they slumped peacefully, teleported away by Mewtwo's power to a safe shore far from the island.
Now alone with Ash's group, Mewtwo turned back. "It is done. They will live without the burden of this knowledge."
Ash pulled out a sleek, purple-and-white Master Ball from his bag the ultimate capture device, reserved for the most extraordinary partners. "Ready?"
Mewtwo met his eyes, a faint smile forming the first in his existence. "Yes."
Ash tossed the ball gently. It tapped Mewtwo's forehead, opening in a flash of red light. The Legendary didn't resist; the ball clicked shut after a single shake, confirming the capture.
Ash held the Master Ball reverently, a new ally secured.
But the surprises weren't over. Mew floated closer to Ash, circling him playfully before nuzzling his cheek. "Mew mew!" it chirped, eyes sparkling with excitement as if deciding on the spot to join this intriguing human.
Ash laughed softly, touched. "You too, huh? Alright, welcome aboard."
He retrieved a luxurious black-and-gold Luxury Ball from his pack perfect for a playful spirit like Mew. With a gentle toss, the ball connected, and Mew entered willingly. It wobbled once, twice, then clicked shut.
Ash clipped both balls to his belt, a sense of profound accomplishment washing over him. Pikachu cheered, leaping into his arms.
As the group prepared to leave the now-peaceful island, Ash glanced at the sky, where the storm clouds had finally parted to reveal stars.
"Let's head home," he said. "We've got new friends to introduce."