Chapter 160: Mew
"December 8th – The plan is officially underway. To be honest, I’m excited. I have a feeling I’m about to create a perfect Pokémon."
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"February 9th – After a year of research, using Mew’s hair for genetic recombination, I’ve successfully created a Pokémon. I’ve named it Mewtwo. I’m overjoyed—my painstaking research has finally paid off."
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"February 20th – Mewtwo opened its eyes inside the container and was able to communicate with me through telepathy. Truly incredible."
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"March 28th – Mewtwo finally emerged from the container. It’s incredibly intelligent and learns things very quickly—mastering in a single day what would take a human over a decade to learn. I feel like I’ve truly created a perfect lifeform."
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"March 30th – Mewtwo’s performance has far exceeded my expectations. Even as a child, it was able to defeat a hundred Pokémon. I believe it will live up to its name and one day surpass Mew."
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"June 5th – Mewtwo seems to be born solely for battle. Its growth rate is terrifying. Even Giovanni’s Beedrill is no match for it. And it’s becoming somewhat aggressive. I’m starting to feel afraid."
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"September 1st – Mewtwo is too powerful. What should I do? I feel like I can’t handle it anymore."
"September 2nd – Today it asked me, ’What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of my existence?’ It didn’t seem satisfied with my answer."
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"September 7th – It’s over. Mewtwo broke out of the lab. My Wigglytuff was killed. What do I do? I feel like I’ve created a demon."
"September 8th – I heard that Team Rocket’s Boss Giovanni convinced Mewtwo to obey him. I have a bad feeling about this."
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"November 4th – Mewtwo has escaped Team Rocket’s control. Giovanni asked me if I knew how to find it. Should I give him that item? I heard Team Rocket did many terrible things while Mewtwo was under their control."
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"November 7th – Goodbye, Cinnabar Research Lab. From now on, there is no more Dr. Fuji—only Old Man Fuji. I will spend the rest of my life atoning for my sins."
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"Mewtwo... I wonder when I’ll see you again."
After reading all the diary entries he’d gathered, Rio felt a strange sense of loss—like finishing a TV series.
"But after reading this diary, I can be certain that the box Grandpa Fuji gave me is very important for finding Mewtwo." Rio thought of the black lockbox Mr. Fuji had entrusted to him. He hadn’t brought it with him—it was buried somewhere in Lavender Town. Good thing, too—otherwise, it would have been lost along with his backpack yesterday.
"Munchlax—did you find anything else?" Rio asked. Munchlax had gathered quite a haul—Gold Spray, Gold Perfume, Full Restores, Lum Berries, and more. But no more diary pages.
"Hm?" Rio noticed a fossil-like amber piece at the bottom of the pile. He picked it up and examined it. "Which Pokémon fossil is this? Kabuto? Aerodactyl? Or something else?"
After studying it for a while without an answer, he packed the fossil and the other items into his new bag. "Alright—time to head up, Munchlax, Charizard. Nothing else to see here."
After another ten minutes of wandering, Rio decided to go back up. When he emerged, he found Gengar sitting there, looking dazed.
"What’s wrong, old ghost?" Rio laughed, patting its head.
"Do you know what I just saw?" Gengar slowly turned its head, its expression so amusing that Rio almost laughed again.
"A female Gengar? Or some other pretty female Pokémon?" Rio teased.
"No, no—" Gengar shook its head frantically. "I saw a Pokémon that kept transforming! It started as a Rattata, then turned into a Raticate, then into a Gengar just like me, and finally—"
"You saw a Ditto?" Rio interrupted.
"No, no—I’ve seen Ditto. But this one’s final form was something I’ve never seen before. It was really cute, pink, like—"
"Like a cat?" Rio blurted out, his expression changing drastically at the mention of "cute and pink."
"Yes, yes—exactly like a cat! It also said it had lived through many hundreds of years. Is that true?"
"Where is it?" Rio’s eyes turned red, and his hand shot toward the Master Ball in his pouch.
There’s no better time to use this!
"It left—just a few minutes before you came out. It turned into a Pidgey and flew away," Gengar said, eyeing Rio’s strange reaction.
Rio’s excitement visibly deflated, replaced by frustration. "Damn it—I should have come out sooner."
"You know that Pokémon?" Gengar asked.
"It’s called Mew—the so-called ancestor of all Pokémon. In a way, it’s your ancestor too," Rio sighed. "So when it said it had lived through many hundreds of years, it was being modest."
"Ancestor?!" Gengar was taken aback. "Old Ghost doesn’t have much knowledge—you’re not messing with me, are you?"
"Believe it or not—Mewtwo was created from Mew’s hair," Rio said, pointing at the Mewtwo statue.
Hearing that, Gengar stared intently at the statue. It hadn’t noticed before, but now it saw the resemblance to the Pokémon it had just met.
"So small and friendly—yet with such a big origin. Gus wouldn’t even believe me if I told him," Gengar muttered.
Rio, meanwhile, kept scanning his surroundings. Even after leaving the abandoned mansion, he couldn’t help but stop and stare at every lone Pokémon or person he passed, wondering if any of them might be Mew in disguise.