Damaris quickly pieced it together: the region in the game that wasn't involved must be the Seven Isles, where Articuno was rumored to reside. This narrowed down the search considerably.
"Thanks for the insight," Damaris said sincerely.
"I didn't say anything," Carl replied, chuckling.
He then turned towards a seemingly empty space. "Mew, are you planning to keep watching from the sidelines?"
At that moment, the previously dark screen lit up again. Giovanni's Three-Headed Dodrio was turning to stone, except for the central head, Moltres. Mewtwo, on the opposite side, was in a bad shape, half-kneeling and struggling for breath, its protective shield shattered.
Carl thought Giovanni could easily capture Mewtwo if he deployed his Garchomp now.
Mew, surprised, glanced at Carl. How did he sense her when she had been expertly avoiding detection?
Telepathy? Aura? None of it made sense—she hadn't felt a thing.
Floating over to Carl, Mew asked curiously, "How did you know?"
"Maybe it's the strong scent of the World Tree on you," Carl thought with a silent laugh. He couldn't say that out loud, though. "Just a hunch," he replied casually.
Mew found this amusing and wanted to test it further.
Carl sighed, "I can play along, but what about Mewtwo?"
On the screen, Giovanni threw five rings targeting Mewtwo's neck and limbs—clearly control devices, reminiscent of the red chains used to bind legendary Pokémon.
"Why would I help?" Mew flicked her tail, launching Professor Oak even higher into the air, laughing. "I thought it might be fun, but now that you think I will save it, I won't."
Carl was at a loss for words. This mischievous cat was only here for a good laugh.
"And what if you want me to save it?" Mew asked playfully.
Carl shrugged, "You think I'll save it? I won't. In fact, I'll keep toying with that old man. If they manage to capture Mewtwo, so be it."
Mew was intrigued. This human was more entertaining than expected. She had initially approached Mewtwo for amusement, but now Carl seemed far more fascinating.
Carl was momentarily speechless; this situation was tricky. If Mewtwo fell into Giovanni's hands, Team Rocket's power would skyrocket, plunging the world into chaos. But with Mew unwilling to intervene, Carl couldn't confront them head-on.
Things were looking grim. Damaris and the others also realized the severity of the situation. Watching Giovanni close in on his goal, the group was deeply worried. If Team Rocket acquired both Mewtwo and Articuno, the world order would undoubtedly change.
"Should we try to stop them now?" Damaris suggested. "It's better than doing nothing."
"It's too late," Carl shook his head. "Giovanni wouldn't split his forces without a backup plan. Acting rashly would be walking into a trap."
Suddenly, Serena spoke up, "I can teleport over to rescue Mewtwo." Grace immediately chimed in, "I can assist Serena."
Damaris looked hopefully at Carl. Stopping Team Rocket was crucial, and maybe this plan could work.
"No way," Carl decisively rejected the idea. "Team Rocket's dark barrier can even restrict Mewtwo, let alone you two. I've considered this plan—it won't work."
Compared to Serena and Grace's teleportation ability, Carl's Cosmog was far superior. But the barrier that even Mewtwo couldn't breach made him hesitant to risk Cosmog.
If something went wrong, not only would they fail to rescue Mewtwo, but they might also lose Cosmog.
"Wait!"
Mentioning Cosmog sparked an idea in Carl. Communicating quietly with Cosmog, he received a reassuring answer and felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
At least Mewtwo wouldn't end up in Giovanni's grasp. But this was a last resort, not to be revealed unless absolutely necessary.
"Mew, what would it take for you to help save Mewtwo?" Carl asked again, knowing it was just a game for her.
Damaris and the others watched Mew expectantly.
Mew shook her head, proudly. "Why should I help? You called me unpredictable and dangerous before, now you ask for help?"
"Really no negotiation?"
Receiving Mew's response, Carl smiled instead. "Then I'll have to find my own way."
Mew gave him a disdainful look, as if saying, "You think you can?"
"Want to bet on it?" Carl smirked.
Seeing that familiar smile, Serena and Grace exchanged glances.
Mew immediately perked up. Besides pranks and games, she loved bets where she couldn't predict the outcome with her psychic powers—the thrill of waiting for results was her favorite.
"What do we bet on?" Mew circled Carl eagerly, her tail wagging.
Carl said seriously, "Let's bet on whether I can save Mewtwo. If I win, you'll help secure Articuno. If I lose, you can do whatever you want."
On the screen, Team Rocket's fleet coordinated seamlessly, trapping Articuno in a massive electric net while electromagnetic cannons fired continuously.
Despite its strength, Articuno was in a precarious spot, dodging and defending with blizzards for now, but the electric cage prevented it from escaping or destroying the fleet. Its energy would eventually deplete.
Even the mightiest creatures have limits.
Team Rocket's power seemed endless, while Articuno's stamina waned. Capture seemed imminent. They had to act quickly to prevent Team Rocket from acquiring all three legendary birds, which would spell disaster.
Mew swung her tail, contemplating if the deal was worth it. Saving Articuno was easy for her and could earn Lugia's gratitude. But letting Carl handle it presented a much greater challenge.
Then again, if he could save Mewtwo from Team Rocket, maybe he really could rescue Articuno. The bet's difficulty was hard to gauge. As for the price Carl would pay...
A sly glint appeared in Mew's eyes. If that guy who talked behind her back became her plaything, it could be very amusing.
Mew nodded eagerly.
With fun delivered to her door, how could she refuse? "It's a deal," Carl agreed readily, turning to Serena. "Teleport me there, to that place."
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