"Mewtwo, are you coming with me?"
The psychic legendary hesitated, its gaze drifting over the vast plantation stretched before it. Compared to its last visit, the place had transformed completely.
Tasks that once required hands-on labor no longer depended solely on Lin Feng. Now, the graceful Gardevoir and the ever-dutiful Indeedee tended to the finer details. The front nursery had its own staff of attendants. Milotic and Primarina handled irrigation with effortless control over water. Serperior oversaw the health of the plants, ensuring every leaf gleamed with vitality.
Everything ran like clockwork.
In fact, if one looked closely, the plantation was already self-sufficient, running almost as a living ecosystem of humans and Pokémon working in harmony.
Mewtwo frowned slightly. The truth was clear: the system would keep functioning with or without its involvement. "Your plantation doesn't seem to need my help anymore," it remarked, arms folding as its tail swayed slowly behind it.
"Who said that?" Lin Feng grinned knowingly. The moment he heard the faint waver in Mewtwo's voice, he knew the proud creature was wavering. He stepped closer and gave Mewtwo's shoulder a firm pat. "There's always more to do. And besides, it's not like you've got anything else pressing at the moment, right?"
Lin Feng's thoughts ran faster than his words. He could already imagine all sorts of tasks for Mewtwo. Repairing the stone pathways after the last storm. Testing the mental resilience of visiting trainers. Maybe even acting as the ultimate boss of a psychic-type trial in the future.
Yes… imagine it. A Psychic Challenge unlike any other, with Mewtwo as the final opponent. No one would ever clear it, and the allure of an unbeatable test would only make challengers hungrier to try.
Like the legendary Red atop Mount Silver, the final gatekeeper who lured challengers from all corners of the world.
Lin Feng chuckled inwardly. The details could wait. For now, the important part was simple: keep Mewtwo around and busy.
Of course, he wasn't about to spell out those manipulative little ideas to its face. "Anyway," he added lightly, "you'll never be idle if you stay here. Trust me on that."
Mewtwo fell silent, its eyes narrowing slightly. After a long pause, it exhaled through its nose. "...Fine. I'll stay."
"Good." Lin Feng's smile widened. "For now, sit down with the others. I'll head to the kitchen with Indeedee and Gardevoir to prepare lunch. And when we eat, you can tell me more about what's been happening with that game everyone's been whispering about. I'm curious."
Mewtwo said nothing, only lowered its head with a faint sigh.
An hour later, steaming plates filled the long wooden table. Each Pokémon had its portion, from hearty berry dishes to energy-rich cubes tailored to their tastes. Lin Feng placed the final plate down before looking across at Mewtwo.
He was about to ask about the mysterious "game" but another thought interrupted him. "By the way, have you seen Mew these past few days? I thought it was with you."
Mewtwo froze. Instantly, it remembered the tiny creature trailing behind it for days, looking worried and anxious. Mew had confessed that it believed Lin Feng was upset with it. That fear had made it beg Mewtwo to let it tag along to the nursery.
Mewtwo had brought it all the way to the skies above the plantation, but the timid feline had balked, unwilling to face Lin Feng directly. It had lingered on the outskirts, hiding, watching, waiting.
The contrast was baffling. A Pokémon as powerful and ancient as Mew, trembling at something so trivial.
Still, Mewtwo could only sigh. "It said you were angry with it. It was afraid and didn't dare to come."
"Afraid?" Lin Feng blinked in surprise, then let out a short laugh. He shook his head. "Tell it this when you see it again. I'm not angry, not in the slightest."
He made no effort to lower his voice. Every word carried easily into the crisp autumn air.
And outside the plantation, perched nervously in the branches of a tall pine tree, a Pidgeotto stirred. Its wings twitched restlessly as it listened. When Lin Feng's voice reached its ears, the weight of anxiety seemed to lift all at once.
With a flap of wings, the bird soared down, gliding hesitantly toward the table. It landed before Lin Feng, head ducked low, eyes darting nervously.
Lin Feng paused mid-motion, then burst out laughing. "So it was you. You even turned into a Pidgeotto to spy on me?"
In the blink of an eye, the bird shimmered with light, shrinking and reshaping. Its feathers vanished, replaced by smooth pink fur. A long tail curled elegantly as the small, catlike figure hovered before him.
"Mew..." The little Pokémon circled him warily, wide eyes searching his face. Only when it confirmed that his smile carried amusement instead of anger did it finally relax and draw closer.
Lin Feng shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Strange little thing. After everything you've seen, all the people you've met, you're still afraid of me?"
He reached into a basket and pulled out two fresh buns. Splitting them open, he spread a thick layer of savory meat paste laced with catnip, then placed the makeshift sandwiches in front of Mew. "Here. Eat. No need to worry."
"Meeww!"
The tiny Pokémon's ears perked, and its tail twitched happily. The tension drained from its body as it floated down, grabbed a bun with its stubby paws, and began nibbling eagerly. Every so often, it dipped the bread into the sauce, just as it had once seen Lin Feng do.
A moment later, a familiar chime rang in Lin Feng's mind.
[Congratulations! Host has raised Mew's happiness from 5 to 50. Reward: 3 Supreme Rare Candies, 5 Bags of Supreme Golden Fertilizer, and 1 Leaf of the World Tree (SSS-Rank Ingredient, rumored to make extraordinary tea).]
Lin Feng's grin widened. "Now that's what I'm talking about. With rewards like these, why would I ever be angry at Mew?"
Across the table, Mewtwo stared, lips tightening. "Unbelievable. I was created from its genes, yet it trembles at you, while I…" Its thought trailed off, frustration flickering behind its eyes.
Lin Feng, meanwhile, studied Mew with growing fascination. Up close, he noticed details he had never considered before. Mew wasn't perfectly smooth like he had always imagined from cartoons and old illustrations. Its body was covered in the faintest layer of soft, short fur, shimmering in the light. Its long tail swayed with feline grace, its streamlined form built for effortless flight.
He chuckled to himself. "So the anime was wrong after all. You're not hairless. You're like a real kitten."
Mew noticed his curious gaze and twirled shyly in the air, cheeks flushing as it let out a playful chirp.
"Meeww! So tasty!" it exclaimed in its singsong voice, chewing happily.
Lin Feng laughed outright, unable to hold back. He reached forward and gently stroked Mew's back. The little Pokémon arched into his touch, eyes closing contentedly.
If he told the world that he had just casually fed buns and sauce to Mew the mythical Pokémon that researchers had spent generations chasing nobody would believe him. Yet here it was, purring in his hands.
Mew didn't care why he was laughing. It was simply content.
At last, Lin Feng pulled his hand back, turning toward Mewtwo again. He poured a small cup of rice wine and pushed it across the table. "Alright then. Let's talk. Tell me what you've been up to in Kanto."
Mewtwo lowered its gaze, hesitation tightening its throat. "I... I don't know how to put it into words."
Words had never been its strength.
Lin Feng gave a soft smile. "That's fine. You don't need to explain everything. I'll sense it directly."
He placed a hand on Mewtwo's shoulder, and in an instant, a flood of images began to pour into his mind.
His expression shifted slowly, a mix of surprise, amusement, and bewilderment flickering across his face as Mewtwo's memories unfolded before him…
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