Delia gently patted Molly on the back and called to her softly, "Molly, wake up. Big Brother Ash came to see you."
The little girl opened her eyes in a daze and looked at Ash standing before her in confusion. "Mommy, who is he?"
"This is Big Brother Ash," Delia explained gently. "When you were little, you always loved following behind him and calling him Big Brother Ash over and over."
Ash knew this memory might already be hazy for Molly, but as long as she still retained even the faintest impression, there was hope of waking her up.
"Big Brother... Ash?"
"It's me." Ash crouched down and gently stroked her hair, his voice especially soft. "Big Brother Ash came to see you, Molly."
"It really is Big Brother Ash!" Molly's eyes instantly lit up. "That's wonderful! Today I have Mommy and Daddy, and even Big Brother Ash came too!"
She clapped her hands happily, her face glowing with joy.
Ash told her some interesting stories from his journey. As he watched her listen intently, his heart was filled with struggle.
He had to choose every word carefully. The slightest mistake could trigger a violent shift in Molly's emotions, making their hope of escaping the crystal tower even more remote.
Delia seemed to sense her son's concerns and took the initiative to speak. "Molly, actually, I'm not your mother. I'm Big Brother Ash's mother."
"Mommy?" Molly froze. She broke free from Delia's arms and stared at her in disbelief.
"You can't stay here forever," Delia said, her tone firm yet full of care. "Leave with Aunt Delia and Big Brother Ash. We won't let you feel lonely."
Although those words were direct, they struck at the heart of the problem.
However, the situation developed exactly as Ash had expected. Molly's emotions began to fluctuate violently.
"No... I don't want that..."
As Molly cried out, the entire crystal tower began to shake violently.
Sharp crystals stabbed toward Ash from every direction like swords.
He quickly shielded his mother behind him and unfolded an Aura barrier, struggling to withstand the attack.
At the same time, Misty and Brock, who were on other floors inside the tower, also sensed that something was wrong.
The scenery before them, along with "Molly," vanished without a trace. Immediately afterward, sharp crystals suddenly jutted out from the walls, forcing them to dodge again and again.
"What's going on?" Misty cried out in shock.
"Something must have happened on Ash's side!" Brock judged. "We need to get over there as fast as possible!"
Sensing the turmoil in Molly's heart, Entei quickly came to her side. "Molly, what's wrong?"
"Big Brother Ash is trying to take Mommy away!" Molly said through her sobs.
Entei turned toward Ash, his voice low. "Leave her here."
"You fake have no right to interfere!" Ash refused to back down. "This is between me and Molly."
"Leave at once, or do not blame me for being merciless."
"Do you really think I can't do anything to you?" Ash tightened his grip on Charizard's Poké Ball, fully aware that this battle could no longer be avoided.
"Go away! I don't want to see you! I only want my mommy and daddy!" Molly's cries were like the horn that signaled the start of battle.
"Charizard, I choose you!"
A flash of red light passed, and Charizard, who had undergone special training, appeared with a majestic presence.
Its towering body radiated a powerful aura, but before Ash, it still maintained absolute loyalty.
"Charizard, show them our bond!"
At that instant, Ash and Charizard's hearts formed a mysterious resonance.
The flame at the end of Charizard's tail suddenly surged upward, and its entire body was enveloped in dazzling white light.
When the light faded, Mega Charizard, Bond Form made its shocking entrance. It possessed both the deep blue skin of its X form and the slender wings of its Y form, while scorching currents of air swirled around its body, making it look like a legendary god of war.
Without waiting for Ash's command, Charizard shot forward like lightning. Its sharp claws clamped down hard on Entei's face and hurled it away with tremendous force.
Entei steadied itself in midair and opened its mouth, spewing out blazing flames.
Charizard did not back down at all and countered with even fiercer fire.
The two streams of flame collided violently in the air, sending waves of heat rolling outward.
"You're nothing but an illusion. What right do you have to control Molly's life?" Ash questioned it through his thoughts.
"As long as this is what Molly wants." Entei stubbornly rose to its feet.
"You keep saying it's for Molly's sake, but do you truly understand what she needs?" Ash's voice carried both anger and pity. "She's still a child. She should have the joy and happy memories of spending time with children her own age. This kind of emotional wound is something you can never make up for."
"And you are not Molly's father at all. You're only an illusion born from her dream. What you call thinking for her sake is nothing more than your unwillingness to lose the meaning of your own existence!"
Those words struck Entei deeply, and for a brief instant, its movements hesitated.
Charizard seized the opening and sent it flying again with a powerful Iron Tail.
When Entei struggled to rise, Charizard swung its wings and unleashed a dense barrage of Air Slash.
Entei nimbly dodged every attack, but it did not expect Charizard to have already charged in from the side. A burning fist slammed hard into its body.
"No matter how beautiful a dream is, there will always come a time to wake up." Ash walked toward Molly, his voice becoming gentle. "If you truly care about Molly, then you should let her leave this false world, see the real world, and experience the bond between Trainers and Pokémon."
He knelt on one knee and looked Molly in the eyes. "Will you come home with me? I promise I'll help you find your dad."
"Maybe right now, your dad is waiting for you somewhere."
Molly stared blankly at Ash, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Really, Big Brother Ash?"
"Yeah. I promise you." Ash nodded solemnly.
Based on his understanding of the plot, Professor Hale was very likely trapped in another dimension by the Unown.
As long as they captured the Unown, the hope of saving the professor would greatly increase.
"Misty, Brock," Ash said to his partners, who had just arrived. "Please take care of my mom and Molly."
After receiving their firm answer, Ash turned around resolutely and climbed toward the top of the crystal tower.
That was where the Unown had gathered, and it was also the key to resolving everything.
As for Charizard, even without Ash's commands, it was fully capable of holding its own. At that moment, it was relentlessly pursuing Entei, displaying astonishing battle instincts.
The light at the top of the tower drew closer and closer. Ash knew the final battle was about to begin.
...
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