The friends took a boat after that, for a loop through the islands both before and after they would reach the Battle Palace, and their first stop was on Potpourri Island.

"This is kind of neat," Max said, as they walked a little way into the woods to stretch their legs. "This island has a Pokémon Orienteering competition."

Swablu leaned down to look at the Pokénav screen. "I really don't know how you can read that, the screen's tiny."

"Maybe he has really good glasses?" Ash wondered.

"Huh?" Max asked. "Oh, right, the screen? It's not that bad, is it?"

He shrugged. "Or I could just be used to it, I don't know… uh, hold on, map mode…"

Max flicked through the settings. "So, it looks like it's not far from here-"

Finally, a voice said. Someone I recognize.

"Huh?" Max asked. "Who said that?"

Ash looked around, frowning for a moment. "Uh – Latias, is there anyone else nearby? Any humans?"

"Don't think so, but I'll check," the Dragon-type volunteered, gliding invisibly into the air.

"Well, there's whoever said that, right?" May asked.

"No, I get it," Brock realized. "That wasn't a human, was it? That was a Pokémon… the voice is sort of familiar."

There is nobody nearby, but I appreciate the check, the same voice said, and Mewtwo descended to land in front of them.

"You made sure to hide, right?" Ash worried. "I wouldn't want anyone to know you were still around after you've done so much to keep yourself hidden."

"What Pokémon is that?" May asked. "I don't recognize them."

Ash hesitated, glancing at Mewtwo, and the Psychic-type nodded slightly.

"This is Mewtwo," he introduced them. "Brock knows them a bit, because we met in Johto, and we also met a while ago but I don't know if Brock remembers that bit… this is because of that letter I sent with Mew, right?"

It is, Mewtwo confirmed. Ash Ketchum… Ash… the first time we met, I thought no human could surprise me. The second time we met, I thought it was impossible for you to surprise me again, and I was wrong again.

He looked Ash up and down. And now I have been surprised yet again. Mew told me that you… made them real? And I do not understand how such a thing is possible.

"Mew went to you days ago, though, right?" Max asked, as Latias returned and assured Ash that they were good. "How come you're only here now?"

Because Mew is more important than my curiosity, Mewtwo said. And the safety of the Pokémon who I live with is also more important. But now my curiosity aligns with Mew's interests, and I have to ask – how did this happen?

"Right, uh…" Ash began. "So, there was this guy called Doctor Yung who was creating artificial Pokémon, sort of as illusions, and then making them vanish again the moment he was done with them. Most of them were just… they didn't have any minds, they couldn't talk or think or anything, but that was deliberate – the first one he'd made was an artificial Mew who did, and he really didn't like them for that. And… he tried to get Professor Oak's data, but while I was trying to save the Professor I found Mew and found out about some of this."

He scuffed the path with his hoof. "And it made me upset, and… Yung needed to be stopped, and Mew was okay with that even if it meant that breaking the system that made them would break them. But I… I saw a way out of that, and Unown and I made Mew real."

Mewtwo tilted his head.

I still have questions, he said. Mostly about the fact that that didn't actually answer any of the ones I had before I asked. Unown and you made Mew real?

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "So, it's been months but it's still weird to think about this… my dad is Arceus, the creator of the universe, and he created several Legendary Pokémon directly like Rayquaza, and Dialga and Palkia and Giratina, Pokémon like that. And I guess I inherited some of that… I made Koraidon first, that's how I found out it was possible, then I made Miraidon during an emergency when I wanted to save Rayquaza. And Mew's the third."

Suddenly I'm extremely grateful that I stopped you from punching me on New Island, Mewtwo commented. Mew quoted to me what I said to you, then. Do you remember?

"Yeah," Ash confirmed. "I remembered a little bit back when we met in – that other place, and now I've got just about all of it."

He swallowed. "Explaining this now – I'm sort of worried that you'd think I'd created Miraidon for the wrong reason."

"There is so much about this conversation that I'm missing," May murmured. "Max, you've got that weird psychic connection you keep making, is it any better for you?"

Max shrugged. "Not… really, no."

Mewtwo was silent for a long moment, after what Ash had said.

Ash, he began. It is true that I first changed my mind about humans because of your example. And it is now true that you are not a human. But that does not mean my mind has changed back… and one reason for that, though not the only one, is that you thought you were human. Lived as a human. What you did with your life was human, in every way… and, now that I have thought about the humans I have met without the veil of prejudice, I see that they are little if any different from Pokémon.

He frowned, slightly. But that is not why I am here. Why I am here is because of Mew.

The much smaller, younger Pokémon peered out from behind Mewtwo, and waved nervously.

You were right to send them to me, Mewtwo conceded. More than anyone I know, I have experience in moving past a bad creator. But there is something else that matters, so – Ash. What do your first two creations do, with you?

"Well, they both battle," Ash said. "Like Pikachu, or – well, or any of the other Pokémon you've seen me with, I guess. It's what they both like doing, but I don't really know if they'd have liked something different if I wasn't a Pokémon trainer who does gym challenges a lot."

He shook his head. "I don't have any Pokémon who don't battle, though most of the Tauros don't really spend any time on my actual team and they're happy to let the herd leader do it. But if one of my Pokémon wanted to not battle, that would be fine. If they wanted to not be my Pokémon but just travel around with me, that would be fine too."

A good answer, Mewtwo allowed.

"It's… about responsibility, right?" Ash asked. "It's… if you bring someone into the world, you're responsible for making sure they have opportunities. As much as you can, really. And… that doesn't mean stopping them from making mistakes, but it means making sure they don't have to. And helping them, and… stuff."

Mewtwo didn't respond, but Mew flew forwards.

So, uh… they began. I had a lot of things I wanted to say and I'm sorry if I get them mixed up a bit. Thank you, for saving me and making me real. For my existence, I guess? And I know I shouldn't have to say thank you for that, but I do want to say thank you for it anyway.

"Oh, Mewtwo taught you telepathy, right?" Ash asked, impressed. "Well done! And, uh… you're welcome, I guess? In the same way of the thanks thing."

Mew twisted their tail a bit. And… I think I'd like to be your Pokémon, to work with you. But – not yet? If that's okay? Because I know I still have a lot of things to talk to Mewtwo about… every time we talk it feels like something comes out that I didn't know, or that I need to sort out.

The little Psychic-type looked nervous. Is that okay?

"If that's what you want, Mew, I'd love to," Ash replied, nodding. "We can work out exactly what it would mean, later – you can change your mind later if you want, I wouldn't mind – and take as long as you want to work it out, too."

He reached out a hoof, and Mew touched it with a paw.

"What matters is you being okay, right?" Ash said, then frowned suddenly. "...oh! I just realized, uh… what's the best way to… Mewtwo, I know it's a lot to ask, but if you wanted to could you teleport all of us somewhere?"

Mewtwo looked puzzled. ...what?

"It just occurred to me, I don't know if Mew wants to or not, but I introduced Koraidon and Miraidon to my mom back when I got back to Kanto," Ash explained. "And introduced them as my creations and children, so… I don't know if that's the kind of relationship Mew thinks would be okay, but if it is then your help is probably the best way to get there and back in a hurry…"

Mewtwo began to chuckle.

Ash, the world would be a lot better if more people had your spirit, he said. You've changed since I met you, but only in good ways… you've grown up, I think.

"I… sort of had to, once I found out who I was," Ash admitted. "How much power I had. It's… something to be careful with, really."

It is, indeed, Mewtwo conceded. What do you think, Mew?

"I'd like to go," Mew said, speaking out loud this time. "And – and I'd be honoured to say Ash was my father. He's done a lot more for me than… than the Doctor did."

Very well, then, Mewtwo decided, and spread his arms.

Delia was happy to meet Mew, and Mewtwo as well, though Ash… didn't quite tell the whole story of how they'd met.

He felt a bit guilty about it, but Mewtwo had been hurting so badly when that happened that he'd done a lot of things Mewtwo now would never do. So it didn't feel right to bring it up again.

They missed the Pokémon Orienteering event, it was over by the time they got back to the island, but Mew and Mewtwo both got scarves of their own and that was more important to Ash.

AN:

Because Ash never fully explains it, the implications that he makes are intended to convey that he's got his memories of New Island back. I couldn't remember quite whether he got flashes of it or not back in the Mewtwo Returns OVA, but either way he's got it all now.