Author's Note: In bold and italics is Pokéspeech, while thoughts and Psychic speech are italicized.
Lugia and various other Legendary Pokémon, many of which Charizard had never seen before, were all looking at Charizard to show them the way. While Lugia was often considered the leader of the Legendaries, even he was looking to Charizard to leadership. Feeling both humbled and empowered, Charizard craned his neck upwards.
Follow me, Charizard roared, hastening forward with Legendary and regular Pokémon following him. They would not go down without a fight.
Ash, in Mew form, sprang in front of his son, reflecting Mewtwo's Psychic ball with the bubble surrounding him. Leave my son alone! Ash hissed Psychically.
Mewtwo, however, kept shooting off attacks at A.J., who had transformed into a Mew and was looking annoyed at Ash's attempts to protect him.
I can do it myself dad, A.J. asserted Psychically, and Ash felt a pang of sadness. His son was growing up, becoming a man...Ash could no longer protect him.
Knowing A.J. needed to prove himself, Ash moved over by Peach and Pikachu, watching the battle between Mewtwo and his son. He wasn't standing idly by for long, however; as if out of the walls, NTR members invaded the room, releasing hybrids from Pokéballs and surrounding them all. There was no way to defeat all of them...
Riviera giggled, and Lawrence spoke, "You should just give in now. There is no point for all this violence."
Eyes blazing, Ash turned to Lawrence. You have stolen my daughter from me, and I will fight to the death for her.
So be it, Ash Ketchum, Mewtwo laughed, sending a mocking ball of Psychic energy Ash's way.
Ash easily dodged the ball, but he soon had a bigger threat at hand. The hybrids were coming closer.
He looked at Pikachu. If I don't survive this, buddy, tell Misty that I love her.
"Piiii," the yellow Pokémon quivered, tears shining in his eyes.
And I love you, too, Pikachu, Ash smiled, turning to face the hybrids.
I won't let you die, Pika-pi, Pikachu whispered, readying himself to let loose electricity.
Peach looked at her own trainer, narrowing her eyes decisively. I won't let you die either, she said to herself.
A horrendous roar came from the front of the room, causing all the Pokémon and humans to swivel toward the noise.
Charizard gave a toothy grin. It's fresh blood tonight, boys!
Lugia gave the orange dragon a reprimanding look. We are here not to take life, but to save it. Mewtwo, why didn't you learn before? We cannot let you do this.
You cannot stop me either, Mewtwo announced, going back to battling A.J.
Most of the regular Pokémon took on one hybrid apiece, though most of the Legendaries took on two or three, or four as in Zapdos' case (he was feeling even grumpier than usual).
The battle was chaotic, vigorous, energy-sapping...
A Mankey was the first to fall. Then a hybrid.
Soon, the room, already too small for such a large battle, was littered with unconscious Pokémon. Of them all, it was perhaps Ash who fought the hardest. A.J. was faltering; he hadn't built up his stamina enough yet for a battle of this magnitude. Riviera was on the brink of tears. These Pokémon, though they did wish to see justice done, were really fighting for Ash. They were fighting for him because he had fought for them.
Suddenly feeling the strong desire for all of this to stop, Ash broke away from battle and went up to his daughter, reaching his mind out to her. He sensed the mental bond that Mewtwo had forged with her, and he sought to push past it, to find a stronger, deeper bond: the bond of family.
Transforming to his weak human form, while knowing that he was making himself vulnerable and possibly sealing his death, he looked into Riviera's eyes and whispered, "Riviera, I love you."
Riviera blinked at him, her eyes hazy.
"I love you, daughter. Please come home to me and your mother."
Enraged, Mewtwo tried to send an attack Ash's way, but Lugia deflected it, sensing the critical moment.
Ash hugged his daughter, and she didn't completely resist. "Remember when you got that Clefairy doll for Christmas? Me and your mommy were so happy that you liked it. And remember when you hurt your finger by getting too close to Charizard's tail? We decided that dunking your finger in ice cream would make it better, and then you flung ice cream at your daddy's face..." Ash's chin trembled, his eyes tearing up. "You remember, don't you?"
Riviera pulled back and looked at Ash. Then she gazed at Charizard, then at Mewtwo.
Riviera, Mewtwo began Psychically.
"Daughter," Ash whispered.
Riviera trembled for an instant, then she threw herself into Ash's arms. "Daddy..."
Bitter, enraged, and perhaps a bit sorrowful, Mewtwo prepared an immensely powerful attack, which he shot off at A.J.
But Peach, surrounded by an electric halo, jumped in front of A.J., reflecting the attack back at Mewtwo.
There was a flash of light so bright that everyone shielded their eyes, and when the flash was gone, they looked upon Mewtwo...
But he was turned to stone.
For a moment, Riviera's lip trembled, and she whispered, "Kitty."
Ash held his breath, but then Riviera buried her face into his chest, muttering, "Daddy."
A.J. rushed over to Peach in human form. "Peach, are you all right?"
"Pich," the Pokémon said weakly.
A Miltank rushed over, pushing other Pokémon aside, restoring the Pikachu's strength with a little milk.
Pikachu, seeing that Peach would be okay, tugged on Ash's sleeve and pointed at Lawrence III.
Picking Riviera up, Ash stood, looking at the other man. "Well, Lawrence, now that Mewtwo is gone, what are you going to do?"
Lawrence looked at the hybrids, then at the regular Pokémon and the Legendaries. Without Mewtwo to rally them, all the hybrids looked tired. And to tell the truth, Lawrence was tired as well. "Turn myself in, I suppose," he sighed.
Upon hearing that their leader was giving in, the NTR members escaped, leaving their hybrids behind, as hybrids made them more identifiable.
Ash figured they would probably scatter, and he didn't think he and the other Pokémon had energy enough to go after them.
The hybrids looked forlorn without their masters, and upon looking on them, Ash felt saddened. They were doomed to short lives by those who had seen nothing wrong in playing with life.
Well, the least Ash could do was make sure they lived the remainder of their lives happily...After he turned Lawrence over to the police, of course.
Ash smiled at Lugia. "Thank you all for your help." He looked to the regular Pokémon. "You're all free to go."
A few of the Pokémon seemed shy, which was bewildering to Ash. Amused, Lugia explained, Some of them want you to be their new trainer...And perhaps young A.J. when he gets his trainer license.
Ash and A.J. both blushed. They had been bending the rules a little bit...
Trying to recover from his embarrassment, Ash stuttered, "Yeah, that would be great...I can, uh, help find homes with other trainers or in the wild for the rest of you, if you'd like."
Lugia nodded. I think they would like that.
A.J. and Ash, having both gained some Pokémon (including the five Egg Pokémon, whose minds they cleared of Mewtwo's influence) and helped other Pokémon find new homes, were peacefully sitting at home with the rest of their family. Days ago, there had been joyful reunions. Now, there was just peace, and the slight sense that something had been left unresolved.
There was a knock on the door, and Jace jumped out of his seat. "I'll get it!"
Jace opened it, to see Meowth standing there with Lelia, Cat, and Mewsie.
Ash came up behind Jace, smiling. "What brings you guys here?"
"Oh, weze just found us a little melted straggler," Meowth answered with a grin as he made a gesture to his left side.
A Mew passed into Ash's line of vision, and Ash's eyes widened. "Devon!"
The Mew tried to look happy, but he instead looked sorrowful. I am sorry I failed you, he said Psychically.
Ash stared firmly at Devon. "You didn't fail us, Devon. You tried, and that is what is important. There are always going to be creatures that resist the good inside themselves. The only way that those who succeed in resisting evil can fail is by not trying to convert others to good. I think that by trying to save Mewtwo, you helped yourself resist evil and proved that you are a success. I'm glad that you're no longer petrified; Mewtwo's ill hold is no longer upon you."
I'm glad, too, Devon said. I'm glad, too.
The End
Author's Note: Hopefully, you all enjoyed the ride like I did. Thanks for all the reviews guys, and sorry if the ending seemed sort of abrupt. I didn't want it to feel like I was dragging it out.
