Who knew Mewtwo could be a good teacher? 

Let’s be honest: there’s a good reason The Pokémon Company’s profits have grown over 1,200 percent over the last five years. The franchise is not only full of lovable characters, and the games not only fun to play, but the stories behind Pokémon teach us valuable life lessons about growing up and how to be strong, which everyone can appreciate.

One Japanese schoolboy learned the important lesson that sometimes things don’t always work out the way we want when his high-level Mewtwo started causing problems on his Pokémon journey. His mother, Sasami (@sasamin0905), chronicled his experience on Twitter, to the delight of Japanese netizens and fellow Pokémon fans who eagerly followed along with the little boy’s tale.

▼ Translation below

“Husband: I got the baby food ready!
Me: Thank you! I’ll feed the baby!
Husband: Okay, I’ll clean up the kitchen!
Me: That’ll help a lot! Thank you! I’ll do the rest, so go off to work now.
Husband: Thank you. I’ll leave the rest to you!

I was having this back and forth with my husband this morning when suddenly by second-grade son, who was playing Pokémon, burst into tears.”

The little boy surprised his mom by crying out of nowhere, so Sasami asked him what was wrong:

“Son: I…I want to be helpful enough to have people thank me too…*sob sob*

Elementary school boys are surprisingly sensitive.”

Apparently, her son wanted to be helpful in the house, too, but being only seven or eight years old, probably didn’t know how. What’s the most touching thing about this is that his desire to help–and feelings of helplessness–was so strong that it made it made him cry.

But what does that have to do with Mewtwo? Sasami found out later that day when he came home from school. She asked him about why he cried again, and his response was really adorable:

“So my son just got home and I asked him about what he really felt this morning.

Son: I thought you guys were so busy that maybe I shouldn’t be playing Pokémon. And I thought maybe that’s why my Mewtwo (the special Mewtwo he got as a movie ticket preorder bonus) doesn’t listen to me…I want to be a trainer that Mewtwo respects.”

▼ Sasami’s son likely got his Mewtwo when he purchased tickets for the Mewtwo Strike Back Evolution movie that came out last month.

His Mewtwo was likely level 50 or higher when he got it, and since he hadn’t yet made it past Cerulean City, one of the earliest places you visit in the Let’s Go! games, he wasn’t a competent enough trainer to control it, according to the rules of the game. Therefore, any time he tried to use the Pokémon in battle, it would likely disobey him.

Sasami explained that she keeps trying to tell her son that he has to get more gym badges before Mewtwo will listen to him, but he sincerely believes that he needs to actually be a person worthy of Mewtwo’s respect, and well, to be honest, maybe he’s not wrong. While maybe getting gym badges is the only way to do it in the games, in real life it would probably take a lot more to earn Mewtwo’s approval.

▼ Much like, when Ash’s Charizard didn’t respect Ash enough, it decided to take a nap during one of the most important battles of his career.

But that’s not the end of the story. After a particularly frustrating battle with Misty in which his Mewtwo deliberately ignored his orders and went to sleep, Sasami’s husband tried to persuade their son that maybe it would be best to put aside Mewtwo until his trainer level was high enough to keep it under control. But his son wouldn’t allow it.

“Husband: That’s why we keep saying Mewtwo won’t listen to you until you’ve collected some more badges.
Son: So are you saying I should put Mewtwo away, Dad?
Husband: Maybe, but…
Son: No way. Mewtwo is my partner!
Husband: Got it.

Meanwhile Mewtwo is getting stronger and stronger.”

Sasami’s son just would not give up on Mewtwo. “He’s a Mewtwo in training, so he’s a little difficult!” he said, with complete faith in the fact that Mewtwo will eventually come to be his pal. That undying trust is admirable and truly touching, but unfortunately, it didn’t work in his favor.

After Mewtwo decided to take a nap in the middle of a difficult battle with a Black Belt in the winding and confusing Rock Tunnel, causing him to lose the battle and be sent back to the entrance, the tearful boy reluctantly decided to leave his delinquent Pokémon in the capable care of Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center. It was a sad goodbye, and not one made easily. “Nurse Joy, please take good care of Mewtwo!”, he cried.

But it turned out to be a good decision for him as a trainer. With a little bit of courage and the help of slightly more friendly Pokémon partners, Sasami’s son managed to make it through Rock Tunnel to “Mavender Town” (what he called Lavender Town), so hopefully with a little more progress, he can earn the trust of Mewtwo and bring it back with him on his journey. In the meantime, he has this little finger puppet Mewtwo to keep with him as a reminder of what he’s fighting for.

It was a hard lesson to learn. We all want to stick to our ideals, but sometimes we have to compromise in order to grow a little. And, it takes time and patience to grow into someone worthy of Mewtwo’s (and other people’s) respect. Sasami’s son learned this after many tears and hard choices, but Mewtwo will always be waiting for him to come back when he’s ready.

Japanese Twitter users were touched by the story of the young trainer’s trials, and left encouraging messages for Sasami to share with her son, as well as general compliments for the warm family environment they seemed to have:

“Maybe this is just my judgment and bias, but it seems like you’re raising your son really well. People who cry for other people are really precious.”
“I know this is a story about your son, but I can’t get over how well you and your husband get along.”
“Plot twist: When the boy brings out Mewtwo again after all of his trials, Mewtwo says something like, ‘You got stronger’.”
“His kindness makes me want to cry! My second grader doesn’t notice a thing, just keeps on playing Pokémon lol. Their Mewtwo doesn’t listen either! Good luck new trainers!”
“What a nice family! I can feel the love and it made me so happy!”

We wish Sasami’s son luck on his journey to be a Pokémon Master. We all know it isn’t easy, but staying humble and being kind seem to be the least of his challenges!

Source: Twitter/@Sasamin0905 via Hachima Kiko
Top Image: YouTube/Official Pokémon YouTube Channel
Insert image: Pakutaso
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