"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack now!"

The little mouse put in all he could, but it wouldn't do. Mewtwo sent him flying across the cold cavern chamber with a wave of his hand.

"Oh no, Pikachu!"

"Ash, I told you you shouldn't have wasted the Master Ball on Snorlax!"

"I can do this, Brock, I just need more time! Squirtle, I choose you!"

"Squirtle?" shouted Misty. "He doesn't stand a chance!"

"I know what I'm doing, this is the only way! Squirtle, Surf attack, now!"

Squirtle jumped into the nearby pool of subterranean water, catching Mewtwo by surprise with a chilling flood to the side of the face. But just as soon, Mewtwo twirled his hands, and the tiny-turtle started to swim in a circle, chasing his tail, around and around.

"Ash, what's he doing?"

"It must be Mewtwo's Confusion attack!" answered Brock. "Quick, you'd better send out a Ghost Pokémon to counter his psychic powers!"

"Good thinking! Haunter, I choose you! Nightshade attack now!"

Haunter diffused around its target, and Mewtwo became engulfed in a black cloud, which was not so much dark as it was actively sucking light away. A sense of foreboding seemed to descend upon all present; but Mewtwo was himself momentarily confused…

"Hit him again, Squirtle!" Ash ordered. "Hydro Pump attack!"

The force of the blast knocked Mewtwo off his feet. "All right, Squirtle!"

Mewtwo looked up at Ash with glowing eyes. "Wha–" Ash stammered. He began to float upward, surrounded by an eerie blue aura. Mewtwo drew back his fist for a final telekinetic blow–

"Ash!" yelled Misty.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu pulled himself up out of the water, back onto the stone platform. He jumped over to the soaking wet Mewtwo. "Pi-ka-CHU!"

Mewtwo recoiled from the shock, and Ash fell back to the ground. "Pikachu, you saved me!" He turned his hat backward. "All right. Pokéball, go!"

"No Ash!" Brock protested. "He's still too strong!"

"This might be my only chance! Pokéball, go!"

"What are you do–"

The violently shaking Pokéball was captured inside yet another Pokéball. "Ha, no way he's gonna break out of that!"

"Uh, Ash, I don't think it works like that…"

Ash clenched his teeth and fists. After what seemed like an eternity – the light turned off.

"Yes, I did it! I–" He was knocked off his feet by an ominous rumble.

"Ash, I think that was a load-bearing boss!" exclaimed Misty. "We need to get out of here!" A falling stalactite impaled the ground next to her.

"Quick, use the Escape Rope!" said Brock.

"Right away!"

– – –

Ash Ketchum's reputation preceded him on his return to Pallet Town. Already his was a household name all across the region, the young trainer who had Caught 'Em All.

Everyone in town had turned up to see him. Even his old friend Gary was there, though with a look of having been forced to attend.

"Oh Ash, my baby, how wonderful to see you!" his mother squealed, as she hugged him aggressively. "I'm so proud of you!"

"I say, Ash, I can hardly believe it myself," said Oak. "Who would have thought that one of our own would finally go out and complete the Pokédex?"

"Gee thanks guys, it's really great to see you all!"

"Hey, Ketchup," said Gary in his trademark grates-on-your-nerves voice. "Whatcha gonna do with all those Pokémon? Have you even gotten your own Charizard to listen to you yet?"

"That's none of your business!" Ash replied. "I Caught 'Em All, that's what matters!"

"Well, now that you've got no more Pokémon to catch, I bet your life's gonna be empty and meaningless."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it brah," he smirked as he walked off. "Smell ya later!"

– – –

Dusk came quietly upon the little hamlet. It was the time when the tiny-birds would come back to roost, and the first of the evening stars would shine out towards the east. Brock, Pikachu, and the others were still back at home, enjoying the celebrations at the Ketchum residence. But the guest of honor had snuck out – he sat by the shore, dangling his feet, mindlessly tossing rocks into the water, as he stared longingly at the horizon.

"Y'know, they used to take me here to play when I was little," he said, hearing Misty's footsteps behind. "I would try and collect all the seashells on the beach. When the other kids were swimming, or making sand castles, there I was, collecting, cataloguing–"

"What are you saying, Ash?"

"Something… something doesn't feel right. I just– I don't know…"

"Is this about what Gary said? Because believe me, I know jealousy when I see it."

"No, it's not that… Do you ever get that feeling, Misty, like there's something else you ought to be doing right now? Like somewhere, someone is waiting, waiting for you to return…"

"What's this really about, Ash? Why are you all worried all of a sudden?"

"I– I'm not supposed to be here," he replied, the thought coming into full clarity even as he searched for the words to say it. "Gary was wrong. I am not finished. There is still another Pokémon left. And it's waiting for me, somewhere…"

"How can you be so sure? We all know there are 150 Pokémon, and Mewtwo is the last. What makes you think you can catch even more?"

"I don't know if you'll ever understand, Misty," he said. "You haven't spent your entire life searching for them. But I know it. I can feel it. I know that I can never rest until I find them. And that's why" – he stood up and raised his voice to a defiant shout – "We're heading out first thing tomorrow morning! We've got Pokémon to catch, and Pokémon wait for no one!"

[Author's Note: Next chapter will come next Friday. See you then!]