Chapter 72: The Way Belongs to the Way, the Dark Belongs to the Dark, and I Am Just Me!
Yamcha gently shook his head. "I don't have such intentions for the time being."
Sakaki was indeed a charismatic, ambitious, and powerful antagonist—completely the archetype of a scheming overlord. Yamcha was sure working with him would be very interesting.
But Yamcha didn't like how Team Rocket treated Pokémon.
It was that simple.
He liked this peaceful world. He liked how comfortable it made him feel.
If possible, he'd love to stay in this world and go on a spontaneous adventure. But he couldn't afford to be lazy, and he definitely couldn't stop moving forward.
Looking up at the sky, Yamcha said, "I have to go."
He snapped his fingers lightly, and his body slowly lifted off the ground, hovering in the air.
"Mewtwo, before I leave, let me share with you a quote I really like."
"The Way belongs to the Way, the Dark belongs to the Dark, and I am just me. Not even the gods can decide my fate."
"I hope that when we meet again, you'll be someone different."
"I am just me...?"
Mewtwo murmured, carefully savoring the words as he stared at his hands and fell silent.
"And Mr. Sakaki, it was a pleasure meeting you."
"The pleasure was mine. It's truly a shame we couldn't work together."
Sakaki replied softly, with genuine regret in his tone. From beginning to end, he maintained a calm expression, even as Yamcha turned him down.
Only when Yamcha took off flying did a strange glint flash through his eyes.
Neither Mewtwo nor Sakaki tried to stop Yamcha from leaving.
But just as Yamcha was about to disappear, Mewtwo called out again.
"Can we be partners? I want to be your partner."
"As long as you agree, we already are."
Upon hearing Yamcha's response, a slight softness crept onto Mewtwo's usually stern face. He stood silently, watching Yamcha vanish over the horizon.
Then, he followed Sakaki. He wanted to see if Sakaki could provide the answers he sought.
But Yamcha, well aware of Sakaki's nature, knew Mewtwo wouldn't find what he was looking for.
Still, some things must be done to find out the result.
Sakaki was satisfied. He had achieved the goal of this trip—Mewtwo. Even if it was only a temporary alliance, he was confident in turning it into a permanent one.
Yamcha, on the other hand, was quite pleased—he made it just in time for the cruise ship's midnight snack: green onions with sauce and creamy mushroom soup.
These green onions weren't ordinary. Just one bite had left such a lasting impression on Yamcha that he felt he'd never forget the taste.
And the mushroom soup wasn't ordinary either. The cream was made from Miltank milk, and the mushrooms were cultivated from spores of a Pokémon that grew mushrooms on its back.
After a good night's sleep, the next morning, Yamcha enjoyed a delicate breakfast before the cruise ship arrived smoothly at Vermilion City's port.
Not long after, he arrived in Goldenrod City and boarded the express train to Ecruteak City.
"Mareep is unable to battle! The winner is Yamcha!"
With the referee's announcement, Yamcha secured another victory in a Pokémon battle.
"Well done, Beldum."
Yamcha patted Beldum, sincerely praising him. In response, he received a cheerful mechanical buzzing sound.
As expected from a Pokémon trained by Steven Stone, this Beldum was extraordinarily powerful, practically sweeping the shorts-clad kid's team.
"What a strong Trainer—and what a strong Beldum!"
"He's too strong, knocking them out one after another!"
Compliments and amazement echoed from the surrounding crowd.
Just passing through two cities, Yamcha had already accumulated a record of thirty-five wins.
Mainly because there were so many challengers, and most of their Pokémon were weak ones like Rattata, Pidgey, or Caterpie. Yamcha didn't even need a second move to defeat them. Occasionally, a Geodude might appear, but they were usually knocked out instantly too.
The gap between Pokémon Trainers could sometimes be greater than the gap between a Sunkern and a Gyarados in terms of base stats.
Amid the awe of the young Trainers, Yamcha boarded a long-distance bus.
After confirming his route on the map, he closed his eyes to rest.
The second-to-last stop of this bus ride would be Yamcha's final destination in this world.
"Clear Cliff, next stop. Please exit before boarding."
The sweet voice of the pretty ticket attendant roused Yamcha from his nap. He was the only one to get off at this stop.
Getting off, Yamcha took a deep breath and sighed softly.
"The air here is comparable to Pallet Town's."
Clear Cliff was a very remote area in Johto, known for its incredibly pure water. Surrounded by towering mountains and vast forests, its steep terrain made it nearly inaccessible to humans. The cliff top remained in a pristine, untouched natural state, with only one bus passing through every week.
The region was also infamous for harsh weather. Due to the topography and air currents, the weather was highly unstable—rain often triggered mudslides, and winds could reach speeds of 40 knots. Tornadoes were not uncommon.
Yamcha didn't head to the roadside motel at the foot of the mountain. Instead, he began climbing Clear Cliff silently.
Though the mountain was indeed steep, it wasn't a challenge for someone who had climbed Karin Tower—and more importantly, Yamcha could fly.
In less than fifteen minutes, Yamcha had reached the summit.
At the top was a plateau, and at its center was a massive lake.
Mirror Lake—also known by another name:
The Fountain of Life.
It was said that Mew, the ancestor of all Pokémon, was born here.
Mirror Lake served as the water source for the entire forest. Water gushed from beneath Clear Cliff, nurturing the wild Pokémon in the region.
Yamcha cupped his hands and took a sip of the clear lake water. The moment it touched his throat, he was stunned.
"Clear, sweet... unforgettable."
He had never tasted such delicious water before. "Delicious" was the only word that did it justice.
Yes—delicious water.
Of course, this water wasn't just tasty. Even the most severe injuries could begin to heal just by drinking from Mirror Lake.
It didn't work as instantly as a Senzu Bean, but the effect far exceeded any normal medicine.
This water was the reason Yamcha had traveled through mountains and rivers to reach this place.
With a snap of his thumb, a large water tank appeared with a "poof."
Multi-purpose Capsule: Water Storage Type.
Watching the tank slowly fill with water, Yamcha was in a great mood. Occasionally, a Beedrill or Butterfree would fly by, but nothing unusual happened.
Many Bug-type Pokémon lived near Mirror Lake. The water was their most precious survival resource.
However, they didn't mind other Pokémon or humans drinking from it—unless someone tried to take the whole lake with them. That would trigger a full-scale attack from the Bug-types.
Yamcha knew how precious the lake water was, but he only planned to take a modest amount. He wasn't about to commit ecological destruction.
"Come out, Porygon and Beldum!"
He tossed two Poké Balls, and with a flash of light, the two Pokémon appeared by the lakeside, curiously looking around.
After letting them each drink some lake water, their eyes lit up with joy and satisfaction.
After a moment of happy buzzing, Beldum suddenly froze.
A blinding white light burst from its body.
"This... this is!?"
Yamcha's eyes widened as he quietly witnessed the miraculous scene before him.
The energy around Beldum was rapidly growing stronger.
(End of Chapter)