Second half, a.k.a, the long-awaited chapter I have stressed about in the past. I hope you aren't disappointed. It's probably also the one many of you have been waiting for, and I thank you for being patient with me about it. However, like other chapters, this is subject to be added on in the future if it calls for it. (Gee, I haven't been too happy with a lot of these chapters lately for some reason.)
Though I do must warn you, this is probably the chapter with the most religious references in it, twice as much if not more than in chapter nine.
Enjoy!
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Chapter Fourteen: Transcend
"For a small moment I have forsaken thee,
but with great mercies will I gather thee."
-- 3 Nephi 22:7
*~*~*
It was dark and quiet; it had been for some time. She couldn't remember if she had lost her senses or if she was isolated in empty space. As much as the silence was welcoming for a while, she was feeling herself growing mad from it. All she had to keep her company were her recurring memories. Unfortunately, many of them weren't happy memories. No matter how much she had tried to focus on the good, the bad kept pushing through, almost like they were mocking her. They became burdens as they all flooded around her, weighing her down to a quivering wreck. With each flashback she had, her wounds seemed to deepen. She was sure she was crying blood instead of tears—it was rather ambiguous, though, as she was still bleeding.
The wound on her arm wouldn't stop flowing, no matter how much pressure Mew applied to it. Her paws were her only available tourniquets she had in the suffocating void, and no matter how much blood she shook off, they were useless within minutes. The agonizing throbs were steadily worsening, and the deafening silence forced her to talk to herself as a distraction. She had mumbled at first, then resorted to screaming and wailing when it wasn't enough. Secretly, it was in the hopes someone would hear her. The tiny Legendary didn't know how long she was there, but she craved the sound of another voice. It didn't matter whose it was, just as long as she knew another living being was nearby.
When her voice had given out and the pain so unbearable, it became almost a part of her. If it were to make her feel better, she would hurt herself. She convinced herself she had an endless amount of blood in her, that losing a pint or two wouldn't be felt. It was the only way she knew she was still alive, the only physical being left in existence. With each self-infliction, Mew individually cursed her friends, envisioning what their reactions to her cutting herself would be. Even though her vocal cords were hoarse, she laughed at them, her inner bitterness becoming almost a form of hatred.
She had collapsed from exhaustion not long ago. She could still feel her veins emptying out around her, and she wished she could die. It was a frightening concept, and though her heart told her to endure, Mew wanted it to end. Breathing was painful enough as it was, thinking tired her out, and movement was now nearly impossible. She was ready to give up the ghost.
But
he wouldn't let her die.
Legion had told her himself this was her eternal torment. She didn't believe him at first, a mistake she now solely regretted. It didn't help she, in his words, "crossed the line" by appearing to Mewtwo. The demon had personally dragged her to her current place where he claimed no one would find her, and that she wouldn't interfere in his plans again. So far, he was right. In between her depleting sanity, she could feel the growing effects of his possession of her body. Most of the serious injuries were of his doing, though it became harder to distinguish as time went on.
She managed a dry sob, burying her face into the bloody pool. "Wh...why?... Why... does it hurt? I can't... I can't take this..." Her eyes closed tightly. "Someone... or God... just let me die. Let us all die... it hurts..."
She was ready to succumb to the surrounding darkness when she became aware of a hint of light. It was nothing more than a speck, reminding her of what a star looked like. So small and insignificant, yet she kept an eye on it. There was no reason why she showed interest in it, but it had been a long time since she had last seen
anything.
Mew wept again, wincing when she curled a hand. "No more... I can't do this anymore..." She ducked her head, but couldn't stand the acrid smell of her blood. Upon glancing up, her breath caught in a quiet gasp.
A lone figure, all in white, was making its way over at a steady pace. It was the source of the light, literally emitting from the being. The stranger, once Mew grew used to the luminosity and when the personage was more visible, looked to be a human woman with a long-sleeved, flowing dress and silver, curly, impossibly-long hair. However, she ended up blinking, and upon a closer inspection, she turned out to be a young girl no older than six with a different appearance altogether. She still wore a dress, but it was to her knees, revealing feet clad in sandals. Her hair was of a decent length down her back, the color a shining aqua-green. The only similarities were a loving smile was on her face and the eyes the color of the noon-day sky.
Unable to look away, Mew could only remain where she was when the child paused before her. They stared each other down until she spoke, her voice echoing slightly. "You must be Mew."
A small frown painfully manifested itself. "So what if I am?" she rasped out.
The girl was unfazed as she crouched down, wisps of hair curling around her plump cheeks. "That's a good question," she mused. "I've met other Mew before, but they were all different. None of them were as beautiful as you, though."
The feline vainly attempted to push herself away almost immediately. "I'm not beautiful... I'm just like any other Mew."
"Not really." She had a grin that made her squint. "While you are all similar, each of you are different. What separates you all are your hearts. So far, you have the most love in your heart."
"No, I don't!" she snapped, forcing herself to sit up and show her slashed arms. "Does this look like I'm full of love right now?! I can't stand it anymore! I was doing fine until
he showed up! And look what he made me do!"
The youngster tilted her head. "You mean Mewtwo?"
Mew quickly shook her head. "I'm talking about that demon bastard, Legion!"
"That's a rather harsh word, isn't it?"
She realized what she had just said and hastily amended herself. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to... Just forget I said that."
The girl giggled. "I don't think you're telling the complete truth."
"No, my apology is sincere."
"I know. I was talking about your injuries." She gazed sadly at the crimson puddles around them. "You wouldn't be bleeding so much if your heart wasn't hurting from getting rid of all that love."
The feline held back a whine, dropping her eyes to her trembling arms. "This isn't love," she murmured weakly. "Love isn't supposed to hurt like this."
"Sometimes it does. It's in your blood." She pointed a delicate finger at a deep wound. "If blood sends love all around your body, then a cut is a work of carelessness that wishes to destroy that love. The worse it is, the more love you lose. Cuts like these are what you would call 'hate'." She lifted her large eyes to cross visions. "Someone made out of love wouldn't have hurt you like this."
As much as she was making sense, Mew was saddened by the child's innocent reason of logic.
I'm either not explaining it right, or she's missing the point, the dear, she sighed to herself. She tried again, "I'm saying that Legion, a demon, made me hurt myself."
The girl nodded. "I know."
"But you brought up Mewtwo." She blinked. "Speaking of, how'd you know about him?"
The young miss toothily grinned, brightening her countenance. "In the Spirit World, you know about everyone."
Regardless of how happy she stated it, it concerned the Legendary. In her inner anguish, she had completely forgotten she was on the other side, that it was the result of her remembering everything about her life. It explained why the longer she was with this little one, the more she looked familiar.
Waving it off, however, she brought herself to reluctantly nod. "Oh... right."
Tilting her head, the human girl knelt before reaching forward to place a hand on her shoulder. It was warm and very comforting. "Why does Mewtwo make you hurt so much?" she queried. "The more you think about him, the more your love bleeds out." Her eyes focused on the six long cuts on her cheeks. "This Legion must not want you two together."
Mew's ears drooped as she bit her lip, breaking the gaze. "No... he wants us together, but in the way
he wants it," she started off, wringing her hands. "Mewtwo and I... we're... we're life-mates. We have been for several months now. I just... didn't want to admit it. He says he didn't mean to, but since I returned the affection, we formed that bond..."
"Like a marriage?" the lass defined, beaming.
She shrugged. "Something like that... if you want to get all technical with it. But it's really more of a promise."
"Like a marriage."
A scowl crossed her features. "Human marriages deal with rings and legal pieces of paper. Life-mates, on the other hand, are more about accountability and being a team."
Shaking her head, the child resolved, "A marriage is a promise between a man, a woman, and God that they would be together always. If being a life-mate is similar to that of a marriage, then it's the same as a marriage."
"You're getting it mixed up."
"How can I? Your definition of 'life-mate' is much like my definition of 'marriage'. Some Pokémon see it differently than others, though, like you and Mewtwo, and Cresselia and Darkrai."
Mew's heart sank at the mention of the two. "Look, kid, I know you mean well—"
"Amber."
"...is that your name?"
She nodded. "On Earth, anyway. I have a heavenly name, but you can call me Amber."
Something in her mind told her she should have already known that, but she pushed it back. "Well, at least now I have a name to go with that pretty face."
Amber laughed, a pleasant sound of tinkling bells. "Anyway, Mew, you gonna continue explaining to me about you and Mewtwo?"
"But I thought you said you know everything," Mew reminded her suspiciously.
"I do. I just wanna hear your side of it."
She found herself smiling. "It's funny what the future holds. Mewtwo and I never got along at first, we used to fight. When we came to a truce, we went ahead and tried to at least get to know each other better, just for it to be more of a friendly rivalry. But... as the years came and went, we wouldn't leave each other alone. Well, actually that was me. I kept bothering him just about every week or something like that. He must have gotten so sick of the yelling and fighting and running that he went ahead and put up with me." A quiet laugh escaped her. "Oh, I knew he wanted nothing more than to silence me for good, but he couldn't do it. We managed to become good friends, getting together whenever we could... if the Tree let me."
The girl took hold of a paw, ignoring the blood. "When did you fall in love with him?"
Glancing over at Amber, Mew let out a sad sigh. "It's... hard to tell. When we were just friends, he asked me a question about love, and I told him that friendships counted as love. I didn't think much about it until after I returned to the Tree. I found it strange how even though I knew about love, I couldn't explain to him what 'true love' meant." She snorted. "Even so... it was then I realized I didn't know what it really meant to
be in love, if that's what he was originally talking about. Loving people I could do easily, but to have
feelings for someone... of passion... that was a different story. I don't know when it was I fell in love with him, but I loved him enough that I... kissed him back."
She trailed off, and she lost herself in that fateful memory. Whether he felt like it was his duty or not, he returned her from near-death, and from herself. While she had proudly told him she could take care of herself, inside she had known how incapable she was, and even Mewtwo knew that much. He did the only method that was available to him at the time, and she spat in his face over it. Still, as much as she had wanted to hurt him, to remove herself from the situation, she stayed. She figured that was all it was going to be, and he would leave her alone after that.
Intentionally or not, the moment became intimate. And when his soul revealed itself unto her, it sparked something inside her she had not felt in a long while. It had healed her without her conscious approval. And then she found herself lost in a kiss, the first step on the long road to recovery... to a love she had desperately desired.
She had chosen Mewtwo to be her mate.
Amber jolted her back to the present when she drew her into her hold, giving her a squeeze. Almost immediately, she felt more at peace with herself. "What made the kiss special, Mew?" she inquired in a curious tone.
Mew thought on it some more, growing more aware of a flush rising to her cheeks. "He was healing my heart without knowing why. I'm sure had things been different... maybe then, I wouldn't have been so harsh with him. I would have been more...
consciously willing to make the decision of him becoming my mate when he was ready to confront me about it. Maybe... we wouldn't have been so afraid to try..." Slowly, she raised a hand to rest it on her stomach, and closed her eyes as she took a shaky breath. "He was trying to mend our already-thin bond before...
this happened. I just... I was nasty to him because I was afraid. I didn't know it was Legion that made him hurt me at the time, and I told him to never touch me again. But we both knew we had a special connection by then... that we couldn't keep denying it. H-Had I let him kiss me again that night, to let ourselves be more intimate with each other, we may not have been in this mess. If it was possible, I would have conceived."
She clutched Amber's hand tightly as she fought back tears. The girl nodded in understanding. "It's what you both want, right? A baby?"
Mew swallowed. "Well,
I do... even though it may never replace what I felt when I was... pregnant the first time. I'm not entirely sure about Mewtwo, but I want to show him he is capable of giving me children, that he
is a Pokémon. And... it'll also be the proof of our love. I want him to know that I love and support him by bearing his children, and by always being there for him. If it turns out he is unable to produce offspring after all, I will still love him. I don't want him to think that because we end up childless I will leave him for someone else. He's been alone for so long... I just want him to be happy."
Choking back her sobs, she rubbed at her eyes until they started to sting. Glancing down at her hand to find it still bloody, she allowed her tears to flow. Amber's smile never changed, though she gazed down with a look of compassion. The Legendary spoke again, not bothering to hide the sadness in her voice, "However... there cannot be true happiness if we have some grievous memory or sin on our shoulders. Right? I know I did things I'm not proud of. Whether on purpose or not, I
have killed people. I can still feel their blood on me... hear their tortured screams... Bridget's pleading..." Breath sticking in her throat, and the images flashing before her eyes, she immediately shook her head with a quiet whimper. "I'm not alone in this, though... I think. Well, Mewtwo never went into detail, but he has killed before. A-And he can be manipulative. I accidentally overheard him say he... that he is part human, and because of it, he got those characteristics. These memories must be haunting, weighing him down all these years. I don't think he can ever forgive himself for it."
She paused for a moment until she dropped to a murmur, "He believes he took advantage of me at Mount Quena because of that. Again, he didn't tell me directly... he might've been planning on it or something. But still, he feels he's not fit to be my mate. According to him... he violated me. He views himself as someone unsuitable to love or
be loved because of who he is. As a close friend of his... I have just never heard him say that before. I mean, yeah, he has put himself down before no matter how many times I've told him he's unique. You must have seen Mewtwo if you know about him. Everything about him is man-made, but he's beautiful. In fact... we literally had a soul-to-soul talk, and he's just so... Oh, Amber, if beauty ever exceeds in itself, it would be Mewtwo. As imperfect as he is, he's gorgeous. Very..."
Upon thinking back on the memory, Mew shuddered, still feeling the lingering touch of his body and their kisses. The thoughts that had gone through her head were still clear: those of dread, anxiety, desire... and regret. She hadn't meant for them to go far. She knew he would stop himself, but
when he would had been the real question. All she had wanted to do was forgive him and to give him an opportunity to let him forgive himself. His emotions had been too much. While he loves her, he had gotten out of control to the point he called it lust. But she knew it wasn't true. She put all her trust in him, putting herself on the line, and it paid off the moment she saw the remorseful look in his eyes. The temptation failed, if just barely. Still, she knew he hadn't yet forgiven himself for it.
Amber retained her silence and hold on the trembling Mew, petting her in consolation. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she drew in a breath. "Adam fell that men might be," she let out softly, trailing off.
The petite feline blinked up at her, puzzled. When the girl didn't respond any further, she inquired of her, "And that is?"
The smile grew sad, and she sighed. "Oh, Mew. How could you forget that?"
"Forget what?"
She pulled Mew up to stand alongside her, no signs of any bloodstains on her. "I have something to show you," she whispered, tightly gripping her hand. "I feel you need to know about it."
Questions came to mind, but the feline held her tongue as she was led down an unseen path. Amber was the only light source, and yet their surroundings remained a void. It even felt like they were just walking in place, not moving an inch. As frustrating as it was, she placed her trust in the child that she knew where she was going.
After all, she kept telling herself,
if she could find me, then she can find a way out.
It wasn't known how long they were traveling for. Ever since she was placed in this dark place, Mew had lost track of time. All she knew was that the more she felt the pain, the less time she had. However, it was like it all had faded away when the girl visited her. The dull aches of wounds pleading to be healed were still there, but she hadn't felt new ones open, nor felt the urge to hurt herself. In fact, the only objects of interest on her mind were this human and the wellbeing of her friends. Her negativity gone, a small smile grew on her face, thankful to be with Amber.
Then an ear flicked, and she could make out faint sounds of a mournful cry—it almost sounded like they had approached a wake. She looked around, noticing the blackness had toned down to a bluish tint, signs of light nearby. The more it lightened up, the more she realized there were people everywhere, some louder than others; even so, they were alike in some ways. None of them that she could make out were as bright as Amber, albeit still recognizable as humans and Pokémon, and they were all in a state of sadness. They all kept their distances, refusing to say a word to a neighbor or to look at them. Nevertheless, when they walked by, all heads turned in their direction and the mourning stopped.
The Legendary frowned. "Amber... where are we?"
She glanced down. "Spirit Prison. It's where sinners stay."
Mew's expression deepened. "But if we're all sinners... then how is it some people go to a good place like heaven?"
"The majority aren't directly sent to their rightful kingdoms. That's not until the Final Judgment. But when we die, we are judged according to our works, and then are sent to either Spirit Prison, or Spirit Paradise."
"So... this 'Paradise' is where the good people go?"
Amber nodded. "The spotless arrive there, and then they go throughout Prison to teach the people. That way, everyone gets a second chance at life."
After a quick glimpse at a nearby on-looker, she took deep breaths. "So you're telling me I was in Prison, then?"
"Sort of. It was more like isolation. Demons don't judge spirits, it's not in their authority. But they do try and hide away people to the farthest reaches of Prison." The girl slowly let out a breath, and a loving smile graced her face. "They have of yet to succeed at eternal bondage, though."
Mew felt a gasp die in her throat, and a warning sting at her eyes caused her to rub them (thus irritating them once more). "So... Amber? Where are we going, then?"
"To the Veil."
She blinked, wondering if her ears had failed her for a second. "Sorry, what? You mentioned a what?"
The girl laughed quietly, and she swung their arms in a rhythmic motion. "You know, the Veil. It separates the living from the dead."
Her mind suddenly clicked, and she nearly released her hold in surprise when she choked out, "Wait, I'm
dead?! But I thought Legion—!"
Slowing to a gait, Amber shook her head when she locked gazes, bending down to her eye-level. "Remember when I said that the moment we die, we are judged? Demons don't judge the dead, Mew, and they certainly don't judge the living. You were taken away by force, led to lose faith, and to hate yourself. While you
are in spirit form, because you haven't been judged, you are still free to roam around. Thus, you were able to go into Mewtwo's dream until you were found out." Her smile then transitioned to a solemn beam. "Your friends were praying for you and Mewtwo," she murmured sadly. "They miss you a lot."
Her eyes widened, a watery film dissolving into view. "They know...?"
"Not really." She straightened up. "They just know you and Mewtwo are missing. They've been looking everywhere for you, they're so worried."
Mew pressed a hand to her heart, feeling a twang of happiness at the news. "I'm worried about them, too," she sighed. "I wish... I could let them know that."
Amber took a glance over her shoulder. "You want to see them?" she softly requested.
She snapped her head up with a cautious look. "What's the catch?"
"There's no catch, really. But at the moment... I won't enable you to talk to them just yet."
Her brows slightly rose. "Why? Is there... something wrong?"
Without another word, she gently pulled her through the thinning crowd. Mew began to fear the worst, but hoped at the same time it was more of a technical difficulty with communication, if spirits were capable of running into that. She stole looks from the surrounding spirits, wondering if any of them were aware of anything that may be happening on the other side. From the solemn expressions on their faces, something was going wrong.
Her hand was released when they stopped, and she stared at the most bizarre thing she had ever seen. While it looked like it still continued down into the misty space, even showing other spirits lingering beyond it, there was the hint of a wave as if it was silky fabric with a velvet appearance. The size of it wasn't known, it seemed to rise and stretch into eternity.
Amber gazed upon it with that of love and nostalgia. "Do you know what the Veil's purpose is?" she inquired without tearing away from the sight.
Once she found her voice, Mew shook her head while stuttering, "I-I... well... you mentioned it separates the dead from the living..."
"Do you know why?"
"No..."
"It's a sign of mercy. If mortals knew what life was before birth and after death, they wouldn't make as many choices as Father would have liked them to make." The girl sighed. "They would have been so homesick... and while Father does want us home, He wants us to be individuals, to 're-discover' ourselves. We're all so different, so unique, it just amazes us all when we find out He has always loved us, and was always there watching over us. And He misses us dearly, but knows that He will not interfere unless we want Him to." She then turned to Mew, smiling at how awe-struck she was.
It took a few moments before the feline would speak. "Are... we going through there?"
"Not yet."
"Then why'd we come here?"
"Being close to the world of the living, we have more access and chances of success to contact the still-living souls past here." She giggled a little. "It's also a little thinner here, so chances are those who are gifted with spiritual eyes can see us."
The Legendary frowned a little. "I've thought I could see spirits lately, before Legion possessed my body," she remarked, glancing over. "Why is that? I never saw them before, so why now?"
Crossing her arms behind her back, Amber replied, "The world's quieter now. And the Spirit World welcomed in so many beings at once, the Veil kinda burst some seams." The thought must have been humorous to her for she laughed. "It was bound to happen anyway. But everyone has the ability to see spirits, it's just that many of us are too...
preoccupied to notice."
Mew hung her head a little. "I could have sworn it had to do with clairvoyance..."
"In a way, it does. But you have these gifts for a reason." Reaching out, the child lightly touched the surface, and in a single circular motion smoothed it out flat. Before their eyes, the texture changed into that of glass, and their reflections were clearly seen. Beckoning toward the mirror, she stated, "Look past your reflection if you want to see your friends." Her voice lowered. "But remember not to talk to them. Don't respond to them in any way at all. Just look... and be still."
She was confused and hesitant, but the Legendary obeyed and drifted to the front. Trying to resist staring at her bloody form, she searched around and concentrated at looking beyond. Something in the back of her mind pointed out it was stupid, but she quickly dismissed it. She remained quiet the entire time, becoming aware that everything was darkening. Then, in the depths, physical crowded shapes dissolved in. She slowly took in breath as the figures defined themselves into the Legendaries in mourning stances. They were all silent and refused to look at one another, choosing to stare off into space.
Though Mew didn't know how long she was gone for, she was astonished at how much they had changed. They were no different from before, but their expressions were very grave, and their bodies were covered with grievous wounds. None of them seemed to have attempted to stop the bleeding, nor even noticed their injuries. Very little tears were shed, the most were from Latias and Manaphy. For reasons unknown, a few were missing: Ho-oh, Lugia, Uxie, Azelf and Kyogre. Her heart went out to them, and she felt the gashes on her arms throb.
It was then Darkrai lifted his head and made eye-contact. She felt her insides freeze up at how empty and pale his eyes were. Remembering Amber's statement of some of them being able to see her, and recalling how he was always close to spirits, she calmed down, even bringing a small smile to her lips. It was her way of telling him she was fine; there was no need to worry.
She expected him to raise himself off the ground, but she hadn't looked forward to him announcing to everyone, "It's Mew, she's here!"
They all raised their heads toward her direction, revealing, to her disbelief, empty eyes. All of them exclaimed her name, and rushed forward to crowd around her. Their manner of movement, however, did not excite her. They weren't sounding glad to see her, apprehending her for her disappearance and for her behavior even though it was obvious they were worried. Their voices blended into a cacophonous wail as they all expressed their feelings at once.
"Where have you been, we were looking everywhere for you!"
"What's the deal, eh?!"
"
Are you still pissed about the whole 'replenishing the earth' deal?"
"You scared us half-to-death with what you did to Celebi!"
"Where's Mewtwo, what have you done with him?!"
"You're hurt! What'd you do to yourself?!"
"We've wasted three days searching!"
"What the hell, Mew? What. The.
Hell?"
"Why aren't you answering, Mew? Answer us!"
She remained in place, quaking under their harsh gazes and words, and feeling cold sweat trickle on her temples. They meant well, she knew that, it was their tone of voices that persuaded her otherwise. As they continued to gripe over her, she felt very uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to reassure them with her voice. Her throat closed up on her, and her teeth bit down on her lip to keep from breaking Amber's request. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes the longer she stared back at each of them, taking in their darkening expressions and ever-growing bitter words. Her hands had squeezed hard enough to tremble, causing the blood to stream even faster down her arm.
"You're dead, aren't you, Mew?"
"Dead! That explains everything."
"Explains that cut Celebi told us about!"
"She's not dead, or else we wouldn't see her."
"Mew will save us, she's the key to our survival!"
"
Save us? She can't even save herself!"
"No matter, we need her back! We need you back, Mew!"
And then they reached out for her, slipping past the mirror and grasping her shoulders. The icy vibes of their touches and dripping blood made her gasp, but also unfortunately release a scream of horror. She was seized from behind and pulled back into the hold of the girl, who began trying to calm her down.
Mew continued to cry out, struggling in a desperate attempt to flee. "OH, GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"
"Mew, please calm down."
"I HURT THEM, NEARLY KILLED THEM!"
"You didn't do anything to them."
"THEY TURNED INTO
MONSTERS BECAUSE OF ME!"
Amber dropped to her knees and squeezed the frightened Legendary into her. "It's not your fault. Nothing about them has changed."
"YOU DON'T KNOW THEM!
YOU DON'T KNOW THEM!" She broke down into sobs, her movements receding to feeble twitches and shudders. Her arms fell limp as she continued to wail with every heart-clenching breath. The piercing tears burned her skin and scratches as they rained down, both salty and bloody drops rolling off the child's dress. She continued to choke out words of hatred toward herself and lament for her friends.
Upon digging her fingers into her, she felt some comfort in the child rubbing her back. The girl rested her cheek between her ears, and whispered, "They miss you a lot, Mew."
The feline shook her head. "But not in that way," she whimpered.
"They care about you."
"...I know..."
"You did well."
"How would you know? Did you see them?"
"I could hear them," she said, closing her eyes. "I only saw their arms, though..." Mew shivered, clutching tighter. "They really want you back."
"But why would they act like that?" The girl looked down, no signs of anxiety on her face. The tiny Legendary was slightly envious of how calm she was. "I don't get it. If they miss me so much, why were they talking about me like that?"
Amber simply shrugged. "They must have been so over-joyed, they couldn't think properly. Maybe."
"And their eyes... their bodies..." She pulled back for direct eye-contact. "Amber... what happened to them? Do you know?"
She didn't answer immediately until after she lifted up Mew's left arm for a closer inspection of her gash and her shredded palm. "Legion brought back the Tree."
Her eyes widened, gawking down at her injured hand like it was the plague. She knew the demon had been destroying her body, but how he did it wasn't known, the pain had been too unbearable to tell. However, the news about the Tree of Beginning being brought back threw her off. She figured Legion was taking his sweet time, or that it would have been months before he could find a way to restore it.
Gulping down a gasp, she breathed out, "What did he do to me?"
Lifting her eyes to lock visions, Amber solemnly stated, "You are running out of time. It's only a matter of hours now."
She coughed lightly from improper breathing. "
Hours? For what?"
"When the Tree is grown up, it'll feed off the aura available. But... it looks like your blood was used to bring it back."
Mew involuntarily pulled her arm back. "What!"
Standing up, the young lass glanced back at the mirror. "You weren't the only one, though..."
Brows furrowing, she spun around for a look herself, and her hands shot up to her mouth in appall.
In the thick of the dark mist, huddling and clutching at his head, was Mewtwo. He looked like he had gone mad, rocking in place and digging into his face near the eyes as he muttered indistinctly to himself, though they could hear his pitiful whimpers. He had many scratches on his figure, but it was hard to tell if they were intentional or by attack. Few were bleeding badly enough to leave a small puddle beneath him, staining him a deep pink. On closer inspection, she realized most of the blood-loss was from his chest on-up.
Shaking her head in disbelief and gasping out quiet "no"s, Mew flew up to the mirror, pressing her hands to it in the hopes it would let her go through. When it didn't, she cried out "Mewtwo!", gulping down her tears. "What's going on, what happened to you?!"
He made no motion he had heard her. She tried again, slapping the glass repeatedly. "Mewtwo, look at me! I know you can hear me, so please, look at me!"
Still no response as he continued to stare blankly out into space.
Her paws clenching into tight fists, she pounded hard on the mirror's surface. "MEWTWO, ANSWER ME,
PLEASE!" she hollered, voice cracking in the process.
Amber pulled her back. "He can't hear you in this state."
The feline jerked away and resumed her hammering. "MEWTWO!"
"Mew, you're only hurting yourself further—"
"DAMN IT, MEWTWO, WHY WON'T YOU TURN AROUND?!"
"Mew, listen—"
"WHAT DO YOU
WANT?!" she shrilled at the girl, tears flying from her eyes when she spun around. Her face was contorted in a mixture of rage and sorrow, sobs attempting to rip out of her throat.
Unfazed by her lashing out, Amber gave her calm response. "Mewtwo has closed himself off from all communication, though it may have been forced. He's torn between life and death."
"Not
possible!" Mew snapped. "He's strong-willed, he could never lower himself as such!"
"Not unless he's been subjected to enough pain."
"You're
wrong!"
Amber slightly dipped her chin in. "Mew... does he have a weakness?"
"
No, what?! Weakness?! Mewtwo doesn't have a weakness that I—" She angrily shook her head. "He's the strongest Pokémon in the world! How can he have a weakness?"
Much to her dismay, the child smiled. "How do you know he hasn't developed one over the years?"
Mew grasped her trembling paw at the wrist.
She's just a child, she doesn't know better... Taking a deep breath, she enunciated, "He is the
strongest Pokémon in the world. He
cannot have a weakness."
"Everyone has one, Mew. Mainly on the inside." She reached out to lightly lay a hand on her chest. The gesture left the Legendary breathless. "Mewtwo has a heart, right?"
"If he didn't he wouldn't be living, would he?"
Amber giggled a little. "I meant he has
feelings, right?"
Swallowing, she nodded. "Yes... he always has..."
"How do you know?"
Glancing over her shoulder at her silent mate, she murmured, "If he wasn't angry, he showed a kind of fondness towards a lot of things. Though they were born out of a hatred for the world, he cared for his clones like they were his family. He told me that when they separated, he had felt it was for their own good. He couldn't continue protecting them, but he couldn't keep them close by either. They needed their space... at the risk of being forever apart."
"Is that his weakness?"
"...in a way..."
"Is there anything else?"
She took a breath. "Well... as time passed, he
did show compassion for the human race, and other Pokémon. Most notably with me... he stopped wanting to kill me after we became friends."
Clutching her hands, the girl pressured, "And you?"
Scrunching her eyes shut, Mew couldn't help but think back to Mewtwo's confession with Ho-oh. He had trembled from the thought of her and stuttered at the mention of her name. His spilling of his heart made her very own ache, and she had desperately then wanted to open up to him. The unfortunate events that followed only postponed it. She had her chance when he was dreaming, but it was once more put on hold to make room for their passionate moment. Whether or not his heart was into it, hers surely was, and thankfully he had managed to feel it before their separation.
But... how much did it hurt him? How much did it take to break him?
Looking teary-eyed back up at the child, she whispered breathlessly, "For God's sake, Amber... let him die. Look at him. He's been through enough. Legion's torn him apart in my absence. It's obvious he loves me with all his heart, but it's hurting him. Please... fetch him and bring him here. He needs to be at peace."
Though she had expected it, Amber shook her head. "It's not his time yet."
"But it wasn't my time either, and yet here I am!"
"Mew, I told you you're not dead."
"Neither is
he!" she gasped out, gesturing toward Mewtwo. "But he at least didn't
kill himself! Those wounds aren't of his doing," she held out her arms, "unlike
my doing! I deserved my punishment, he hasn't for his!"
Tearing her eyes away from the gashes, the young lass sighed. "Do you want to die, Mew?"
She stumbled at the question. "Wha... err... n-no... No, I don't. Not really..."
"So why do you want your mate to die and not you?"
Her hands clenched tightly, though she barely noticed. "I don't want him to suffer," she growled out. "He's gone through a lot in his life. He has that small desire to die, he's expressed it before."
Amber stepped forward to clasp the feline's small paws. "Mew... you don't want to die," she reviewed, "but you want
Mewtwo to die. This selfish wish of yours will only make your miseries worse. He wants to be with you, and you want to be with him. But there's nothing to gain with the both of you here prematurely, and if you are separated by the Veil for a long period of time, your sadness will only grow. And... your love will die." A solemn smile flashed for a moment. "While in time you both may find a new love, the special bond you two developed will be that ugly scar your new mate will forever see. It won't ever be as special, as pure, as this." Kneeling, she retained her hold on Mew's hands as her eyes softened. "Can you feel it, Mew? Can you feel his pain? His sorrow? His love?"
The Legendary bit her lip when it quivered, an icy shiver extending from within her heart. She couldn't bring herself to verbally deny it, neither could she express that she felt it. Her pain had been strong enough to overcome it, though she knew the whole time it hadn't been hers. While her wounds dulled in time, the throbs remained to be a constant reminder. However... the more she thought about it, it was only then she realized it wasn't physical, it was instead
emotional.
A foreign, yet familiar emotional response...
"Mew..."
She turned around, quietly gasping at Mewtwo's tall figure beyond her reflection. His stance was shaky and hunched, the blood trickling down his form more freely. His wide violet gaze clenched her heart when their eyes met. Gingerly he stepped forward, taking long, slow strides for the mirror, reaching out his hands in a pleading manner.
In an instant, Mew shot up, pressing her hands on the glass. "Stop!" she cried out. "Don't come any closer!"
He wordlessly obeyed, fingers barely touching the surface. He stared down at her, visibly pained at her rejection. She swallowed down the lump before shaking her head. "You can't come here, Mewtwo," she choked out, feeling as though her heart was starting to break. "I-I won't let you."
He fell to his knees, trembling hands remaining stretched out. When he spoke, it just about ripped her in two like she feared. "Mew... I want to be with you..."
Her tears overflowed as she hung her head. "I know you do... but you can't die."
"I will not die—"
"Yes, you will!" Mew declared amidst her crying. "This side is the Spirit World! You pass through this mirror, you are going to die, and Legion will have won!" Her hands curled into loose fists as her levitation wavered. "A-And we won't be together. We'll be separated..."
"...Mew, we will still be together."
"ARE YOU
BLIND, MEWTWO?!" She pressed her wrists up against the mirror, smearing the blood around. "I KILLED MYSELF! I AM LITERALLY IN A PERSONAL
HELL BECAUSE OF IT!" Demoted to pitiful wails, Mew pounded the glass, wishing it would shatter to reunite them and cut herself up at the same time. "I'm a
murderer! I can't be saved because I took lives away before their time! I killed them, I
killed them! They took my baby!
My baby...
she took my baby..."
Battered by sobs, she collapsed onto the floor. The horrid memory of her miscarriage returned, clearer than ever, recalling the massive pain of the baby being cut out of her. Then there was Bridget's sincere apology about the infant's death, and "Sir" demanding she be re-impregnated. The blinding rage couldn't conceal what she had done. She was aware of what she did to the scientists, every one of them, in gruesome detail. The pungent stench of blood that had excited her so, the pleasure of hearing their screams of torture was the end result of her becoming a monster. She had felt no sympathy for any of them until after the carnage when she was subjected to the hauntings of their memory.
And the near-death of her soul.
Unexpectedly, her paws were grasped and lightly squeezed, startling her back to reality. Mew quietly gasped and gazed wide-eyed up at Mewtwo, whose benevolent expression made her weep harder. She leaned upon the mirror, wanting his warm embrace, but accepting their interlocked hands all the same. The seemingly insignificant contact made her feel loved, the moment growing more intimate when he reached forward to brush away her tears; it was a silent gesture of forgiveness and understanding. She welcomed the touch, grabbing onto his arm to keep it in place.
A look of longing transitioned into his eyes that very moment. Letting out a sad sigh, he muttered, "It was never your fault to begin with."
She deeply frowned, burying half of her face into his palm. "How would you know, Mewtwo?" she murmured out, slowly shaking her head. "You don't have a clue as to how I feel right now."
He gently pulled away from her grip to lay his fingertips on her chest. Her breath caught looking back at him. A small smile on his lips, Mewtwo lifted her chin up. "Then I propose we start opening up to each other now." The beam faltered. "It... may be our only chance."
Mew dipped her chin back in, then glanced over her shoulder at Amber. The girl had moved back to give them space, and she grinned when they made eye-contact, waving in encouragement. Taking a breath, she looked back at her mate, and rose closer to his eye-level. She stroked the glass where she would have touched his cheek, pressing her forehead against the cool surface.
"Mewtwo... what's the point? We're separated by life and death. In our positions, we should know each other by now. Well...
I should, anyway... being a spirit and all."
Surprisingly, he didn't appear to be disappointed with her response. He just reached through the mirror once again to cup her face. "I did not mean by that, Mew. Do you remember what happened the last time we were together?"
She bit her lip, nodding. "What are you getting at, Mewtwo?"
His hands slipped down to her shoulders. "There was something special about our last kiss. Legion knows about it. He said our kiss had such a high commitment, it was almost celestial. That was when we developed a bond within our hearts that allows us to feel each other's emotions. Do you know what I am talking about?"
Mew involuntarily placed a hand on her chest, eyes beginning to well up as she nodded vigorously. After a few hesitated breaths, she whispered out, "What does it mean?"
"I am unsure myself, though possibly we can renew it or strengthen it. It seems nearly impossible physically, but how about spiritually?"
She shivered a little. "Mewtwo, you're not suggesting we... you know?"
He rubbed her shoulders. "No, this is not the time nor place for that." He thoughtfully ducked his head for a few moments. "Mew, dear..." Her heart leapt into her throat at the word, and she had that feeling his did as well when he struggled to continue. "...y-you know everything is in chaos, especially now that the Tree is back. Legion has weakened me in an effort to fulfill his plan. Our friends... I am speculating they are in a bad spot as well. And you... oh, Mew..." His thumb wiped at the claw marks on her face, visibly choking back tears. "Where did we go wrong?"
Mew only shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Mewtwo... there's nothing we can do now."
He tightened his hold, causing her to tense. "No... no, there has to be a way. I know there is."
"Does it have to do with whatever it is you want us to do together?"
"Probably not. But in the long-run... at least we
will be together."
She wavered in her levitation, supporting herself beside the mirror. "Mewtwo, if it means coming over here, my answer's still 'no'," she moaned, a little disappointed. "I can't have you die like this."
The corners of his mouth upturned briefly. "It has nothing to do with death. I promise."
Suddenly, there was a reverberating twang in her heart, the waves rolling through her body leaving her breathless. Their gazes fully locking, Mew acted on her own accord by flattening up against the glass, lips scarcely touching the surface. Mewtwo rested a shaky hand behind her head as he leaned forward, slipping seamlessly through to brush a tender kiss to her mouth. Just as they made contact, the tiny Legendary felt herself fall into him, enabling her to wrap her arms around his neck in response.
Once they touched, it felt like liquid fire replaced the blood in their veins. The surprise of it all jumpstarted their breathing, and when they gasped in unison, they tightened their embrace to keep steady and resumed the kiss. Immediately, Mew could feel the aches of her wounds flaring up due to the quickening beats of her heart, but she unheeded them. Almost like it was second nature, she opened up further to exchange part of her soul.
It was then she could feel rising from the depths of his soul a craving to press her onto a flat surface and have his way with her—she naturally considered it. His fingers twitched against her body as the carnal desire pulsed in the air, a deep groan thrumming in his chest. The touch alone was enough for her mind to ecstatically fantasize about what he would do to her, yet she recognized the brief flashes were nothing more than snippets of dreams. Moving on to the memory of their previous encounter, as real and erotic as it was, she had known from the start it had been manufactured by an outside force to exploit their feelings. It mercilessly mocked Mewtwo as an individual, doing its damnedest to beat him into submission and compromise his character, and she unintentionally aided it.
She dropped everything when it suddenly felt like a hand took her troubled heart into its gentle grasp to soothe it, and she recalled his pained expression as he held her in his arms. Quivering, her paws slid to his jaw but dared not push him away, instead softening the kiss by cradling his lips, shaking her head to fight back tears. The clone quietly moaned in return, and as his trembling and passion slowly receded, his hands loosened without pulling away.
And then she gave a plea from the bottom of her heart. There was nothing pitiful about it, neither a spur of the moment or a well-thought-out line. It wasn't even physical, yet it felt like she expelled it into his mouth and down to his core. She didn't know if it would even reach him.
Don't leave me.
To her utmost surprise, almost momentarily, he paused above her with shallow breaths and the taste of tears—her tears—on his lips. Mew let out a muffled mewl, trying to dam up the rest as the kiss was reluctantly broken with a slow sigh. Taking a breath, her eyes opened to find him hovering over her, irises the brightest she had ever seen them. He lovingly smoothed a thumb down her cheek, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"I can never leave you, Mew," he quietly uttered, giving a gentle headbutt. "I am always with you... as long as we can feel one another here," and he gestured to her heart.
She blinked in amazement up at him before she gave him a tiny smile. "It worked..."
He chuckled lightly. "Indeed." He then winced slightly, his hands clenching before releasing her. "I hope you will find a way back, Mew. We need you."
Mew nodded, still feeling light from the bonding. "I know... I'm sure I will, though. I never would have found my way here, honestly." She gave a giggle, wiping at her eyes. "I'm just so thankful I was found."
Mewtwo rose his brows, looking over her shoulder. "Found by whom? Are they here?"
She paused, glancing back at Amber who hadn't moved from her spot, still with her trademark smile. While it saddened her that the clone possibly couldn't see her, she remembered that she couldn't fully see him beyond the mirror, either. Deeply inhaling, Mew verbally expressed, "A little angel who led me back to you." She spun back around to see him crack a smile at her statement, making her flush. "It is the Spirit World, after all."
"Will this angel know how to bring you back to us?"
"I'm sure. She's very well informed."
Pleased about her answer, Mewtwo caressed her face and touched foreheads once more. "I love you, Mew," he breathed out, a soft light in his eyes.
Mew extended a paw to touch his cheek, only to find the mirror had regenerated itself between them. Taking a breath to steady herself, she resorted to holding his hand, closing her eyes. "I love you, too... Mewtwo..."
He squeezed back before pulling away, leaving an impression behind. She didn't dare look back up until arms wrapped around her. She was met with the sight of their reflections, and nothing more.
They were silent for a while until the feline finally found her voice. "Amber... will I be able to return home to my body?"
The girl nodded. "You will."
"When?"
She tightened the embrace. "Very soon. Just give them a chance to discover themselves again."
Mew blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
Amber giggled. "While they can't defeat their enemy, they can at least escape by means of being themselves."
She understood enough she went ahead to question on another topic of interest. "How much of Mewtwo did you see... by the way?"
A dreamy smile appeared on the child's face, her gaze almost that of a far-away look. "Enough to know he's how I've always seen him... and that he loves you very much."
Mew frowned slightly, turning her back on the mirror. "Amber, do you know why it was Mewtwo and I were able to be together like that?" She fiddled with her fingers. "Um... you saw it, right? The mirror seemed to have let me through... or it disappeared or something..."
Looking back up, she was taken aback at how puzzled Amber was herself. "To be honest, Mew, that has never happened before, that I know of." She shrugged with a laugh. "But it's a sign you two have transcended death itself to that of a celestial status."
A chill ran up her spine. "What... exactly does that mean?"
She took her hands, and happily explained, "You and Mewtwo are life-mates even after death. You helped strengthen and renew that bond, didn't you feel it? A burning feeling?" Her smile widened at Mew's shocked expression, eyes sparkling with joy. "Excuse me for being so excited over it, it was the first time I saw a couple being sealed together. Personally, anyway."
The Legendary could hardly believe what Amber was saying, but the peaceful, warm sensation deep inside her was testifying of it otherwise. Thinking back on it, it had been so overwhelming she could hardly handle it; even Mewtwo had been struggling throughout it. Strangely enough, however, she could have sworn it was circulating through them both the entire time, so they shared the same emotions and pain.
Laying a hand over her heart, Mew no longer had a lingering doubt that he truly loved her. She didn't want him to leave, wanting nothing more than for them to always be together, but knew deep down that their current conditions would have made it impossible without consequences. As much as it hurt to let him go back, she had been at peace, like she knew everything would be okay no matter what happened.
Her thoughts and heart set on Mewtwo's wellbeing, she felt once more the great pain and sorrow crying out from his depths, along with a plea for death. However, now that his love for her was absolute, his will to live was rekindling, as well as the desire to keep her pure no matter what Legion was going to throw his way. Despite everything the demon had crushed to reach his soul, he had failed to take away that love, and now there was a new special bond between them.
Mew smiled, comforted with the knowledge that come what may, she had his heart forever.