{T/N: From here on, I'm gonna start using relevant pronouns for Pokémon whose genders I know. I don't know the genders of Celebi and Hydreigon, so I'll leave those two as they are...}
....
"Benefactor?" Fumitaka repeated, somewhat puzzled.
Caleb hummed in agreement and said succinctly, "It was a small quest I did a while ago. That aside, we're here."
He waved to Lucario, who was standing with crossed arms under the tree shadows, "Where are Mewtwo and the others?"
Not far away, Celebi and Mimikyu were playing hide-and-seek in the bushes, but there was no sign of Dragonite, Hydreigon, or Mewtwo.
Lucario walked over upon seeing this, then looked up, indicating they were above.
Before Caleb could look up, Mewtwo's figure slowly descended from the sky to the ground. He first glanced at Fumitaka and the other two nearby, then turned his gaze to Caleb.
Caleb asked, "Mewtwo, what would you like to eat for lunch?"
Mewtwo pondered for a moment, but unfortunately, he didn't have anything in particular in mind.
Furthermore, his understanding of human food was limited, so he could only say: >..You decide..<
Mewtwo was willing to trust Caleb unconditionally.
"Alright." Caleb readily accepted and simultaneously used the owner's private chat function to contact Gardevoir in the room.
"Do you know what Psychic-type Pokémon generally like to eat?" He asked.
Gardevoir asked gently, "Master, the Psychic-type Pokémon you're referring to, is it Mewtwo?"
"Yes."
"Based on data collected from Instances, it is suggested that Master can prepare more sweet foods for Mewtwo, such as delicious salads made from sweet berries." Gardevoir explained, "Of course, Mewtwo has human genes in his body, so he can also eat human food. Should I prepare lunch for him according to your diet?"
Caleb nodded, "Yes."
He will try that first, and if Mewtwo doesn't like it, he'll switch to something else.
"Okay, then I will start preparing now." Gardevoir said, already on the move. Lunch for six Pokémon and one adult male was a huge undertaking.
While Caleb was contacting Gardevoir, the other three were also stealthily observing this Mewtwo.
Mewtwo, having experienced the events of the Collapsed World, was very sensitive to others' gazes. Therefore, he immediately noticed the look from that human nearby.
Although there was no malice in the stares, they still made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Mewtwo didn't like others looking at him with such near-fanatic eyes. This feeling reminded him of some not-so-good memories.
But...
Mewtwo glanced at Caleb, thinking, 'These people seem to be his friends...'
...
Caleb had just ended the call with Gardevoir, when he sensed that Mewtwo's mood was somewhat not great.
He took a look at Fumitaka, who practically had excitement written all over his face, and immediately understood what had happened.
Caleb said, "I have a friend inviting me over, so let's call it a day here."
Fumitaka then reacted and quickly said, "Oh oh, okay!"
Yuna nodded to Caleb and said, "I'll contact you later."
After saying that, the three figures disappeared from this space.
Caleb looked at Mewtwo and said, "Sorry."
Mewtwo shook his head, then looked at Caleb, saying: >..You don't need to apologize to me..<
Caleb thought for a moment and said, "If there's anything you don't like in the future, just let me know. That includes food you don't like, and situations that you find bothersome..."
Mewtwo fell silent for a moment and slowly said: >..I don't dislike your friends, I just... that human's way of looking at me reminded me of the days in the Team Rocket laboratory..<
Regarding Mewtwo's experiences in the Collapsed World, Caleb knew somewhat about them, but those were all in the past and not the current focus.
Hearing Mewtwo's words, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't yet explained the specific situation of this place clearly to Mewtwo.
Caleb organized his thoughts and then said, "The place we are in now is very special..."
He told Mewtwo everything about the Infinite World and his current situation.
After listening, Mewtwo fell into deep thought and didn't speak again until after a long while: >..You are already dead?..<
Caleb was stunned for a moment. He had thought Mewtwo would refute all this as impossible, but the first thing the other asked about was his condition.
"It probably doesn't count as death. I don't know what my current state should be called either," Caleb's tone sounded somewhat casual, "Actually, in our world, Pokémon don't exist. Whether it's you or Dragonite and the others, to us, you are all characters created virtually in Anime."
He took a deep breath and continued, "Like you, I have no parents. Pokémon accompanied me as I grew up. When I was little, I often thought, how great it would be if one day I could travel to that world with Pokémon! And then just like that, I came here and met you and Dragonite and the others."
Mewtwo listened quietly. Although he didn't quite understand what it meant to be a virtual character in Anime, but...
>..I am real..< Mewtwo said.
He reached out and gently placed his hand on Caleb's shoulder: >..Look, you can touch and feel me. No matter what happens in the future, we will journey with you..<
"Wuu!"
"Biii!"
"Kyuu!"
"Mm!"
"Roar!"
At some point, Dragonite, Celebi, Mimikyu, Lucario, and Hydreigon had also arrived here. They stood behind Caleb like the most reliable support.
"You all..." Caleb suddenly didn't know what to say. He had originally intended to use this to comfort Mewtwo, to tell him that there were still many people who liked him, but he never expected the roles would be reversed.
'I really suck when it comes to sentimental talk.'
Fortunately, Gardevoir came to Caleb's rescue at this time. A gentle female voice echoed in the Pokémon Paradise: "Master, lunch is ready. Would you like to dine here or in the dining room?"
Caleb thought for a moment and answered, "The dining room!"
"Okay, Master."
Seeing this, Caleb directly used the teleportation function. The next second, he and Mewtwo and the other Pokémon returned 'home'.
Gardevoir, wearing an apron, was bringing steaming hot dishes and soup to the dining table.
Caleb and the Pokémon took their seats. He turned on the TV and pulled up the Anime movie 'Pokémon: The First Movie'.
Watching the Mewtwo on the screen using Psychic to destroy the Team Rocket laboratory, Caleb suddenly remembered something.
That was, there was also a Mewtwo in his exclusive world.
It's just that the worldline of that world had changed due to his influence, and he didn't know if that Mewtwo had been successfully born.
Mewtwo looked at the unfamiliar scenes on the screen and asked: >..Is that me?..<
Caleb shook his head, "No, that's a Mewtwo from another world. You are of the same species, but not the same individual, just like the Mewtwo you fought in that world before."