[Mewtwo: Just as Feng Che said—humans are groups driven solely by interest. Seeing no value in me, they've simply cast me aside.]
Mewtwo watched the Rocket researchers busily tending to the Legendary Bird embryos while he sat neglected in his tank. A flicker of cold resentment crossed his mind.
[Mewtwo: Once I've fully matured, I will leave this place in secret!]
Team Rocket Laboratory
"Dr. Fuji, what stage has the Triple-Bird Fusion experiment reached?" Giovanni asked, his face stern.
"Leader Giovanni, we are in the testing phase. Once Executives Sabrina, Surge, and Koga have successfully synchronized with their respective birds, we can initiate the final trial," Fuji reported.
"Good. And what of Subject 13?" Giovanni asked after a slight hesitation.
"The situation remains... less than ideal," Fuji sighed helplessly. "While the data Feng Che brought from Team Plasma is extensive, most of it focuses on cloning Mythicals. Subject 13 is a unique case; we haven't found a viable solution yet."
"Maintain the current resource allocation for 13 for now, since it has already reached this stage of growth," Giovanni decided. "However, suspend any future plans for the Mewtwo project. Continuing is no longer meaningful."
Giovanni had reached the end of his patience. If Subject 13 died, so be it. The project had consumed the lion's share of Rocket's resources for too long. "Focus your efforts on the Mythical cloning data. We will master Plasma's techniques first, then reconsider Mewtwo later."
Four Island: Icefall Cave
Guided by Zeraora, Feng Che arrived at an unremarkable fork in the frozen tunnels. He followed a specific path to its dead end, facing a massive, solid ice wall. If Koga hadn't accidentally damaged this wall during his battle with Articuno, the entrance to the Underground Medicine Field might have remained hidden forever.
"This is it. Zeraora, use Plasma Fists on this wall!"
Zeraora took a sharp breath and swung. Within a single second, a thousand fist-prints slammed into the ice. To an ordinary observer, it looked like a single, simple punch.
CRACK.
A spiderweb of fractures erupted across the surface, and the ice wall shattered. Immediately, a wave of floral fragrance wafted through the opening. Before Feng Che's eyes lay a sprawling garden filled with vibrant, multicolored flowers—a stark, impossible contrast to the frozen world outside.
Hoppip, Skiploom, and Jumpluff drifted through the air, playing amongst themselves in a scene of pure vitality.
Suddenly, the ground shook as an Abomasnow erupted from the earth. The massive creature stood tall, its white fur shaggy and its purple eyes narrowing beneath thick brows.
[Abomasnow: How dare you break the barrier and intrude?!]
It raised a massive fist, glowing with the frigid energy of Ice Punch, and swung it at Feng Che. Zeraora intercepted it instantly. Her claws crackled with golden electricity, incinerating nearby grass as she countered with Thunder Punch.
Ice and lightning collided, creating a massive shockwave that sent both Pokémon reeling back several steps.
"Wait, Abomasnow! I have no ill intent!"
Feng Che produced the leaf-token from the Elder Venusaur. The moment it was revealed, the leaf pulsed with a soft green light. Recognizing the mark of the garden's guardian—the Serperior—Abomasnow huffed. It unleashed a Blizzard to reseal the broken ice wall, then glared at Feng Che before burrowing back into the soil.
"Excellent. The token works," Feng Che muttered. He recalled Zeraora and released Ivysaur. "But finding the core won't be easy. This place is a labyrinth."
According to the Elder Venusaur, the garden relied on a symbiotic relationship with Bug and Poison types. Beedrill and Dustox were busy among the flowers, their waste providing vital nutrients for the Grass-types like Victreebel.
Despite being underground, the cavern was as bright as day. Sunlight filtered through fissures in the ceiling, reflecting off the ice walls in a prismatic display. Shiinotic stood on the ledges, their large mushroom caps glowing with a bright yellow luminescence to light the path.
Ivysaur suddenly tugged at Feng Che's pant leg with a vine. [Ivysaur: I can feel it. The Fountain of Evolution is this way.]
The little dinosaur led Feng Che through a series of winding paths. As they drew closer to the center, the level of the wild Pokémon rose to the Senior Elite tier. Finally, they reached the heart of the garden.
A magnificent Serperior lay coiled in a sea of blossoms. Behind it was a pond-sized pool—the Fountain of Life. Above the water, emerald-colored tree roots hung from the ceiling, slowly dripping translucent green liquid into the spring. A dense, verdant mist hovered over the surface.
The Serperior was deep in meditation, each breath siphoning the mist into its body. Its skin shimmered like polished jade.
Those roots... those are the roots of a Tree of Life, Feng Che realized. No wonder a Grass-type paradise exists in the middle of an ice cave. This is the ultimate evolution site.