Onward, ever onward! We're reaching the climax, if it's not already upon us, which signals that this story is getting ready to round the corner and find the finish line up ahead. Thanks again for sticking with me thus far!
Word of warning: this chapter is brutal. I couldn't believe it myself when I decided on it (though the research wasn't mind-scarring like with chapter eleven).
Enjoy!
*~*~*~*
Chapter Fifteen: Suffering
“Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem,
Quoniqm cum probates fuerit accipient coronam vitae”
— “Lilium”, Kumiko Noma, Elfen Lied
*~*~*
It was one of the most quiet, empty areas of the Tree. Some time back, however, Mewtwo had been subjected to the physical part of Legion's punishment in that very room, and it was filled with much unrest. While he was not forced to partake in any sexual activities, he had to be harmed. The bodily torture was painful, and it resulted in more damage to his mental stability, intentionally or not. The demon had laughed the entire time, relishing in the bloodshed and risking mortally injuring him.
And at some point, he had experimented with
mind control.
He could scarcely remember it all except that the loss of his will was terrifying. To be humiliated was one thing, it was when he had been forced to cut himself up, to taste the last moments of his beloved (or so he was told) that it was a true hell. Horrible images were then presented to him, everything from his past, his friends, his enemies, and Mew. Many were genuine, and even though he knew others were false, they were easily believed. He briefly recalled screaming throughout it, he just could not be sure if it was vocal or silent. Legion might have heard his mind shatter for the pain was quick to dull when he was released. With the promise of “more on the way”, the clone had been left in the pool of his own blood, barely conscious and a shadow of his former self.
How long he was out for, he didn't know. He may have had passed out to have found himself in a black abyss with nowhere else to escape from the horrendous situation he was in. For a long moment, he was sure he had gone insane from a broken mind, and the desire for endless sleep was growing.
And then... he had heard her calling his name.
He had told himself he was imagining it, and tried to ignore its increase in tone. And when he couldn't take it, he made himself look over to find Mew with her back facing him. He didn't want to believe it, thinking it was all in his head. But the longer he stared, the more life-like she had looked, and he risked it all to say her name.
She may not have responded positively at first, but she soon opened up to him. His heart had ached the entire meeting to see her dirtied in her own blood and in a much worse position than he, and he wanted nothing more than to be with her, to give her comfort. Dream or not, he didn't care just as long as they were together. Even when she showed him her still-bleeding wounds and sobbed about her grievous sin, he still desired her.
It was then Mewtwo had recalled a previous memory, their last moment together, and the demon's own commentary on it. Legion had mentioned it was the most special of their kisses, in that it was binding—“almost celestial” as he had put it. And as he had glanced at the bruises on her neck upon remembering that connection, he had begun to feel her bitter anguish toward herself, her suffering tearing deep into his very core. He couldn't bear to see her in pain any longer, yet the only relief he had assured her with was to open her own heart. It was all he believed he could do for her in that place.
...Her heart and soul was in her kiss. Mew was the most realistic being he had ever touched, becoming more alive the longer he held her. He took in everything about her from her sinuous form to her hot breaths, to her fluttering heartbeats pounding against his chest. Then came her love and pain, searing heat pouring in and filling him up. He felt her inner yearning to be angry at what caused her such suffering, wanting her life renewed, only to wane and forgive in the end. He could tell it was agonizing for her to do so, and thus she moved her attention to him, to take in his dark secrets and desires he had tried to keep from her.
Despite his senses overloading, he had wanted more to satiate the burn he had for her, but her trust stopped him. Once he cast his proclivities from mind, she in turn expressed her gratitude by entrusting him the final key to her heart. The two had never felt more at peace with one another than at that moment. They were hesitant to let each other go upon returning to where they belonged.
For a time, Mewtwo just stared at the crystals, faint, but alive. It was a slow regaining of consciousness that left him simultaneously heavy and light. The sacred event he had with Mew was still perceptible, and yet he wondered in aside if it was all a dream. There could have been no way he would have run into her and experienced such a spiritual moment. He had been told this entire time by Legion she was dead, rotting in some prison for her sins. However, Mew herself had said he shouldn't believe everything he was told. But how could he be sure that wasn't one of his dreams, a string of events that was leading up to his eventual consummation with his counterpart?
And if it was real... did that mean he had died?
It was unlikely. For all he knew, he might have just been on the verge of death. Though the more he pondered on if he ever
did give up the ghost, the more he was certain the demon would have been right behind him to pull him back.
It took a few cautious tries for the clone to lift himself up to sit back against the wall, wincing at the aches and stings of his wounds. The blood freely dripped down his body like thick rain, leaving behind gunky residue on his skin. He found himself struggling to breathe, his muscles tensing up so they left him trembling, and his vision was starting to falter—unless the crystals were too bright of a red on the eyes. He had to blink several times to get adjusted to the aura's glow, and he thanked his lucky stars he could still see.
He had enough strength to pull himself away from the bloody puddle, and then slumped back to stare anxiously at the exit straight across. The room wasn't very large, he could bring himself to crawl the several feet and take his leave. As much as his brain screamed at him to escape while he had the chance, he could not find the will to do it. Whether it was because of the poor state he was in, or because he feared what was beyond the room, he himself didn't know. Though he had that feeling he was forbidden to even step foot outside without permission...
“Are you awake, dear?” he heard Mew's voice call from the tunnel. The tone chilled him to the bone. “You must have if the crystals are glowing nicely again.”
The way she entered the chamber made him wish he had remained unconscious. A hand rested lazily on a hipbone, and when she moved, she seductively swung said-hips, her tail bobbing in rhythm. The worst feature, however, was how disturbingly calm her face was, a sly smile on her lips and eyes peering at him from beneath her eyelashes. She paused before Mewtwo, studying him carefully before darting her vision over to the bloodstains. A frown creased her brows and she crossed her arms, resting a hand under her chin.
“What a shame,” she sighed nonchalantly. “That is never going to come out. But no matter, I will just have the bed placed there. We will forget about it eventually.”
Shifting uncomfortably, he muttered, “What bed?”
“Did I not tell you? This will be our bedchamber, to be the main place of conceptions and births of our beautiful children.”
As much as he wanted to speak out against it, Mewtwo ended up instead blurting out, “I thought the Heart was to be our room?”
“I never said that. But I want to be in there until after the birth of our firstborn. Speaking of which...” Mew lowered herself closer to take up his vision, taking pleasure in watching him sweat as she put prominence to her bust. The clone had to crane his neck to keep eye-contact with her, as much as he hated to. “What shall we call our first child? It has to be special, to show his heritage.”
“It may turn out to be a girl,” he added on his own accord.
He wished he kept his mouth shut when a fanged smirk gleamed, constricting his heart further. “Impossible. The heir is
always male. But just to be on the safe side, I will make sure the firstborn
is male.” Her tail snaked down to briefly rub alongside his inner thigh, causing him to tremble. “I would hate to do it since it might halt your activity, but if needs be, I shall do it. Unfortunately, Mewtwo, if you are as sterile as you claim you are... Well, let me just say you better pray for mercy on the other side.”
He braced himself against the wall, gritting his teeth. “What are you... what are you getting at?” The fondling below increased, and he had to choke back a gasp.
“I am just doing a 'test run', is that all right with you,
dear?” She leaned in and brushed light kisses to his parted lips. He moaned out a few “no”s before she silenced him by biting his mouth. He flinched at the intensity, feeling helpless. “You cannot fight it. You are hopelessly drawn to her.
Mmm, it is only a matter of time now,” she briefly pulled away, pressing their foreheads together, “before you surrender to me.”
He shook his head, taking in a couple of breaths before countering, “It may be Mew's body... but you are not her. I cannot love the body if I do not love the spirit.”
Scowling, she dug her claws into his cheeks. “We shall see, then,” she challenged. “We shall see what holds up in the end: the heart, or the body.”
“It will not matter,” he hissed out. “Dead or alive, my heart will always be with Mew.”
Legion let out a breathy chuckle. “What a pity that you are no fun anymore. I guess I must have gotten carried away.” Mewtwo only chose to glare back the best he could, fighting to cease his squirming. It made her laugh harder. “Not even the world's most powerful Pokémon can resist the necessities of the body. Now you have to fight two at once.” Then she bent forward and clamped down on his lips, running the tip of her tongue upon the soft flesh.
The clone shuddered under the sensuality of it, barely catching himself from panting. She made no effort to push herself through his teeth as she teased around his mouth's edge, ghosting her fingers along his neck. The actions brought out more protests from him where half wanted to join in, while the other refused and wanted her gone. He made the attempt to push her off only for her to latch on further and bring out a moan as she sucked on his lips. He was aware her tail's strokes were causing him to steadily return a kiss, to get him used to her seduction. He was unfortunately still weak, and he was growing more relaxed the harder and longer the petting lasted. It came to the point all he could do was mutter protests and feebly move his head around.
That was when he thought of Mew. Sweet, innocent Mew... her lips the taste of virginal rain, her kisses deliciously slow with a hint of passion, her touches gingerly running electricity through his skin as she memorized his form... How many times had he dreamed of the night they become one, where her eyes took on the night sky, and her body radiated moonlight? He had them since their first kiss, never going further than pressing their bodies against the ground as she gasped his name. He yearned for that day, but feared it all the same. He questioned it, even himself, about its nature. Was it trying to tell him something? Did it have anything to do with love? With lust?
He wondered if she was feeling the same emotions on the other side, struggling with her own urges. Though how could she? Why would she have the same problems as he? If anything, she would be more worried about his condition than whether-or-not she wanted him. Sex had to be the last thing on her mind, she was pure like that. If he loved her because of that, why was he unable to control himself?
It was then Mewtwo realized he had let his guard down for too long. With his mental walls broken, he didn't know if he was still in control of his own body or not, yet he was beginning to enjoy it enough to pull Mew's body closer and run his hands about her curves. She let out a sigh—or a breathy chuckle, it was hard to tell—intensifying the kiss as she tilted her hips against him. She then grabbed a hand and slipped it below her, encouraging a finger to roughly rub. Mewtwo fidgeted, somehow unable to remove his intrusive paw as he was forced to caress her womanhood. Even when she let him go, he found himself unable to stop, his rising body heat causing him to quake and his breaths to quicken. She moaned into his lips before she parted and arched backward. With his other hand, he supported her shoulders and brushed his mouth against her collarbone right as his fingers found an opening—
“Lord Legion, I have arrived with the Legends—am I interrupting something?”
The clone fell back in response to look over at the newcomer, eyes widening. Standing at the entrance was a full-grown human male, staring at the two with a raised brow and what may have been a dumbfounded expression on his face. Mew opened her eyes, leering at him with a huff.
“Not in its entirety. But it does not matter, now that you are here.” A frown then creased her brows as she scanned him. “Why are you naked?”
He glanced down at himself, then shrugged. “This was how the body regenerated. No one seems to care much, though one of the idiotic Legends commented about it, said it made him feel—”
“That will do, Jediah,” she growled, rolling her eyes.
The man pouted. “But he made me feel uncomfortable with myself.”
“I
said that will do.” She wriggled free from Mewtwo's loose grip to straighten up, then smirked over at him. “By the way, I do not believe you have met Mewtwo, have you?”
The human only shot a glimpse at him before bowing. “Sir, we have captured the Legendaries as ordered.”
“Ah, yes! I had gotten so lost in the moment, I nearly forgot you were coming.” The clone shivered, dropping his gaze. She silently laughed and invited, “Well, what are you waiting for? Send them in!”
Jediah moved to hurry out of the room, then looked around the tiny chamber. “Er... there is a small problem.”
Her eyes flashed. “
What?” she snarled.
Both he and Mewtwo flinched, and he quickly rephrased himself, “N-Not like that, Legion—sir! It is more like size problems! Many of them are too big to come inside. So everyone is waiting out in that lovely field the Tree had graciously made. It has a beautiful view, have you seen it?”
“Why did you not mention this in the first place?” Scoffing, Mew just waved her paw. “I am not going to bother wasting my anger on your incompetence. Just lead us there.”
With a nervous nod, he slipped away. She turned around to face her captive, raising him up with her telekinesis. He struggled to regain balance until she pushed her hands on his chest, freezing him in place. A smirk spread from ear-to-ear, a sick excitement illuminating in her eyes.
“Come along, darling. Let us show everyone how
happy we are together.” Then her voice dropped to a sultry purr. “We will resume our activities later...
if you behave in front of our guests.” Digging her claws deep into his barely-scabbing palm, she dragged him off smiling like a maniac.
It seemed no matter what corners they turned or what tunnels they entered, everything was the same—though it may have been because the lighting was so red. The crystals were hauntingly beautiful, but as it was his blood that had helped bring them to life, it only nauseated him. He wondered if it was still draining him, if it ever greedily soaked in any droplets that he bled on them. And if it did, shouldn't he be weaker despite Legion's claims of keeping him alive longer?
Mewtwo desperately tried to take his mind off it with little success. There was hardly anything else to think of besides how his friends were holding up. He was being honest with himself in that he was nervous about seeing them. While he did miss them, he didn't want to know what happened in their captures. Legion couldn't wait to show him, as the grin suggested.
The light was jarring on the eyes the moment they stepped outside. Once he grew used to it, he was amazed and horrified at how accurate the new Tree was to its old design. With the exception of the crystals being blood-red, it was an exact copy of a casual field that had once thrived inside the Tree. The vegetation was perfectly healthy, the lake clean and sparkling, even the sky seemed to be blue. As typical as it was, what made it more unnerving was how full of life this very area was. Pokémon that had died months ago were roaming around like nothing had ever happened, nonchalantly frolicking throughout the field. If Mewtwo hadn't known better, he would have thought he had just been dreaming the entire time and now just woke up to Mew pulling him along, possibly to play a game of tag or whatever she was in the mood for.
His eyes fell upon his fellow Legendaries huddling in the midst of it all, humans standing guard around them. He silently gaped the closer he got, feeling his spirits sink at the sight of their grievous wounds. From the looks of it, there was no way they could still hold themselves up from how they trembled, though the worst part of it was the fear visibly present on their faces. Many were on the verge of tears (Latias and Manaphy were the typical ones to be sobbing), others with frozen grimaces.
It just about broke his heart when they spotted him and could only stare at his current state, some slowly shaking their heads in awe. His hand flinched when Mew's claws punctured deeper into his palm. She paused directly before them, a sly smirk on her lips as she took her time scanning them, and intimidating them with her presence while ignoring the humans giving her their full attention. It didn't take long before one of the Legendaries spoke up.
“Oh, Mewtwo... Mew,” Rayquaza sighed, painfully smiling. “Oh, thank God you're here. You have no idea how long we've looked for you.”
Legion seemed a little displeased. “You are still breathing before a demon lord, and all you have to say is 'thank God'?”
A noticeable wave of shivers ran through the crowd when they all made eye-contact. “Mew... oh good Lord,” Cresselia gasped, slightly pulling away from Darkrai's hold. “What happened to you? And Mewtwo... What's going on?”
“Do you wish to find out so soon,
goddess?” The bitter tone made the phantom protectively throw his arm back around her. It made Mew scoff. “Of course. It is unlike you to leave her in harm's way, for if one dies, the other has no purpose in life. But if they both live, they are forever conflicted with one another. How you two looked past the other's flaws still eludes me. Perhaps you would like to explain?”
Darkrai gritted his teeth, his hands clenching. Flinching, the lunar swan peered at Mew with a worried look. “Mew, why are you doing this? Can't you see you're scaring us?”
She barked out a laugh. “I just love teasing you, Cresselia, dear! Is that not what friends are for? Your relationship
is no different from ours. Right,
darling?” She smirked over at the clone, who only glanced away.
Giratina glimpsed down at the ghoul before looking back at Mew to growl out, “Who are you? What have you done to Mew?”
“Ah, about time someone acknowledged me!” she cried out in mock glee. “And by Giratina, no less! It is pertinent that
you would recognize my presence. You have been on my case lately, have you not?”
His scarlet eyes slowly widened. “You... It was you I was sensing the entire time?”
Mew let out a light cackle.
“Explain, Mew!” Celebi shouted out, wincing when he jerked an arm. Mewtwo swallowed the moment he saw it was very out of place. Mesprit wept upon glimpsing at it herself. “You have worried us these past few days over your whereabouts! What happened here? Why is the Tree alive again? Wh... Why are we here?”
She tilted her head, grinning widely. “You should know who I am by now,” she quietly said through her teeth, “and that Mew is no longer with us.”
Latios held his sister closer before speaking out, “Mew, you're unwell! You have neglected yourself for too long! Look at yourself! Look at Mewtwo, I mean... my God, Mew! What is the meaning of this?!”
“To show you no mortal is immune to my power!” she screamed, roughly throwing her captive to the ground before them. The Legendaries gasped, and some spouted out swears. “This is what has become of your so-called
strongest in a measly three days! All of you combined can never withstand what he has gone through! You would have gone insane by the day's end!”
Mewtwo had little strength in him, and could only stare pitifully up at his fellow brethren from where he lay, taking in their horrified and distraught expressions. He closed his eyes to avoid their gazes, praying for rest, but was denied it when Legion pulled him up to his knees by the cord.
“Oh yes, I almost forgot. Mewtwo, dear, tell everyone how far our relationship has come to.”
At the corner of his eye, he saw a threatening glint, though he couldn't tell if it was her teeth, eyes, or even blood. He was afraid to look, but also afraid to speak out. Tears obscured his vision when she squeezed harder.
“Say something,” she hissed in his ear. “It is not that difficult to say 'Mew and I are mates', now is it?”
Breath stuck in his throat, he just shook his head, silently begging for a release. Growling, she shoved him over. “You are pitiful, Mewtwo! You would snap at me about your undying love for Mew, and yet you cannot even announce it to your friends! I would think they should at least get that much out of you before they die!”
He only shivered, hands loosely curling into fists.
Legion spat to the side. “So... you choose to give us all the silent treatment, then. Very well. Now, I want you to watch as I slowly rip your friends apart one by one.” Snapping her head up at the shrinking Legendaries, her face faltered. She scanned them a few times, eyes widening in astonishment. “I only count twenty-six.”
One of the humans perked up, leaning forward. “Pardon, Lord Legion?”
Ignoring him, she called off to the side, “Jediah!”
He stepped up to her, bowing. “Yes, sir?”
She gestured to the confused group, refusing to look at him. “Explain what I am seeing here in the most honest tone you can manage, so that I may not decide to rip your temporal body apart and prohibit you from being in my presence ever again.”
He paled, and twiddled with his thumbs. “Well, sir... we were at their gathering spot at Cherrygrove like you had said they were in,” he slowly prattled off. “Although weakened, they put up a good fight. We tried our hardest not to kill them, of course, though some have gotten injured—okay, all of them got injured, but nothing
too life-threatening for the most part. Er... we had problems transporting them over here, especially since most of them woke up in the middle of it... I am just as surprised as you are that we got them all here in one piece—why are you looking at me like that, sir?” he then squeaked.
His mouth suddenly formed an “O”, eyes widening as he slowly turned to the Legendaries. He carefully counted each of them, then tensed up, throwing his hands up to his face as he backed away. “Oh dear... L-Lord Legion, sir, I admit it was an honest mistake! We were just doing what you ordered us to, w-we did not know there would be some missing! B-But rest assured, we will find them!”
“YOU
BETTER FIND THEM, OR YOU WILL TAKE A SWIM IN THE LAKE OF FIRE!” Legion hollered at him, startling everyone within hearing range, chasing off the Pokémon that had been oblivious to them. Mew's face was contorted into intense rage, and her claws deeply pierced her palms, the skin nearly peeling off when she stretched out her fingers to point at the Legendaries. “Find those bastards, and I will consider a lesser punishment for you! This goes for all those who went with this fool! Do
not fail me again!”
Immediately, the humans and Pokémon involved sped for the exit, Jediah in their wake. The field was nearly empty when the commotion was over with, an unnatural silence following afterwards. No one dared to move or verbally cry, having been frightened to near-death. They could only stare at the demon, fully convinced this was not the Mew they knew. When she swerved her head back to them, they wished their hearts would stop.
“You got very... very lucky,” she dangerously murmured, eyes penetrating into their souls. “I promised Mewtwo I would kill you
all, but it seems there are quite a few of you missing.” She sneered down at the clone, who still averted his eyes from her. “Unfortunately for you all... I do not wish to let this moment go to waste. I only brought us out of our bedchamber so he could witness your deaths.”
The Legendaries shifted uncomfortably where they stood, some whimpered softly at the statement. Smirking, Mew floated over to a crystal to lay her hand on it. It illuminated, and she dragged out many long, thin, flexible spires from its depths. Draping them across her arm, she isolated a few and plaited them, repeating it until nine pieces of crystallized rope were made. They then watched as she straightened them in a clenched hand and carefully dipped them into the depths, breaths catching in their throats as she then pulled back to reveal a sleek handle. They felt the terror grip their hearts as she swung it around a few times. With a side glance at them, she flipped it upside-down for the loose strands to slip into the spire. She left it inside a few moments longer, then slowly lifted them up.
Their blood ran cold at the sight of thorns littering the ends of the leash.
Stroking and tracing the whips, Legion chuckled out, “I find it blood-curdling as well, but I am also fond of it. Many a grown man has feared this punishment. Flogging is really only reserved for severe punishment, and even then, they have a limit on it.”
“...What does this have to do with us?” Palkia asked in a worried tone.
She wickedly grinned. “Each of you will be given a certain number of lashes depending on size. Someone of Mew's size may get no more than five, however... for those of gargantuan size, forty shall be the maximum. Unless you still show some strength left, then I may take it to forty-five. But then again... I may just need a bigger whip.” She snickered through her teeth, rubbing one of the spines.
Latias held tight to Latios and wailed, “Mew, why are you doing this?! We're your friends!”
Mew swung the whip in her direction, intentionally striking the ground before her, though it was enough to make her shriek and shrink back. “Mew is not here! How many times do I have to repeat myself?!” she snarled, levitating closer. “Do I have to beat it into your heads before you get it?!”
There came a cough from Mewtwo as he struggled to pull his weight up. “Legion... they do not know any better,” he panted out, meeting the pallid icy eyes.
“So, you finally decide to speak!” she spat with a glare. “There is nothing you can do for them now.”
“L-Legion,” he croaked out again, his chest heaving, “I beg of you... leave them out of this. This is only between you... a-and I.”
A slow, evil grin lit up on her face. “Prove it. Stand and look me in the eye, and tell me why I should spare them.”
He glanced down at the trailing whips, shivering at the gleam they gave off. He couldn't help but imagine it coated in his friends' blood, hearing the whistling and clinking it would make whenever it would swing... the pained screams of mercy. Taking in a few breaths, he steadily pushed himself up to his knees, elbows quaking under pressure. The strain proved too much as he fell forward, the Legendaries quietly gasping.
A cruel laugh ripped its way out of Mew's throat. “I thought so.” Then she turned to face her captives. “Who shall be the first, I wonder?” she mused, making her way down the line, bringing those in the front to tears. Her eyes suddenly snapped down to a whimpering Manaphy, and her grin glinted. “How about you, sweet Prince?”
He squealed a “No!” when she snatched him by the arm and dragged him out to the open, ignoring the protests of the other Legendaries and when Mewtwo's head snapped up. Those in the front moved to grab him only to be held back by a barrier, which they proceeded to attempt breaking through. She tossed Manaphy before her and lifted him up with her telekinesis, forcing his arms to stretch out beside him. Mew then lifted the whip, dangling it behind his neck to check the distance as she backed away. With a smirk, she raised the weapon above her head.
The clone quickly struggled to his knees, pulling a muscle doing so, and yelled out, “Legion, please hear me out!”
She glanced over, still poised. Everyone looked over at him, holding their breaths, the Seafaring Legendary doing so with a pleading gaze. He hung his head for a few moments, biting his lip. “Please... let them go. They know nothing of what has transpired here. They do not know where Mew is, nor do they know our situation. All they did was come look for Mew and I.”
He swallowed down a lump, easing his way to his feet. “Legion... your plan does not involve them. Why tell them anything if you are going to kill them anyway? You are just putting them through pain and emotional suffering before you end their lives. I do not wish death on my friends... but if you do end up killing them, I do not want it slow and painful. You already put Mew and I through it, I do not want anyone else to experience it.”
Legion remained silent, lowering the whip. Mewtwo felt little relief from it, not wanting to drop his guard. Taking a quick look at the Legendaries, he continued, growing more confident as he spilled out his emotions. “In response to all the questions I have refused to answer: Nothing you do or say... will keep me from loving Mew. Even if you drag me to the ends of the earth, down to the depths of Hell and beyond... I shall never, ever deny it. How can I? The same goes to them... my peers, my friends... I am not that of hate, not anymore. If anything... I-I am grateful to them, in some form or another.” He breathed out a chuckle, weakly smiling up at them. “I am so glad... they were worried about Mew and I. That I am content with...”
Turning to the demon, he brought himself to take a wobbly step forward. “Do what you will to me, Legion... I do not care anymore. You have beaten my body and my will into such submission, I lack the strength to fight you.” As though to prove his point, when he advanced again, he crumpled to his knees. “Bruise me, enslave me, torture me... kill me, I do not care. But please, let them go. Let Mew go... Whether you release her to her body or to her demise... it does not matter anymore, for we cannot be separated by death. Just please... let them go.”
It was silent for a few moments after he finished. He felt better for getting it off his chest, even in front of the Legendaries, and he was sure Legion was having second thoughts. However, when Mewtwo took a closer look, he noted at how dark Mew's face had become. Her wide eyes glowered at him from beneath her brows, lips curled into a sneer, and her ears were flattened against her skull. She dug her fingers into the crystalline handle as she slowly took a long, deep breath, and broke eye-contact to crack the whip across Manaphy's back.
The flogging had happened so quick and without warning, the tiny Legendary had no time to scream out in pain. His jaw dropped in a inaudible gasp as his eyes nearly bugged out, and that was it. Not even the Legendaries could bring themselves to verbally exclaim, they just watched in total awe as she executed a second time around. He then managed to strain out a cry on the third stripe, inducing Latias to shrill out “Leave him alone,
please!”, pounding on the barrier.
The clone was very taken aback by Legion's actions, flinching whenever the whip made contact with the Prince's body. While the others screamed at Mew to show mercy, he could only mentally count the number of strikes being delivered. He hoped it would end at five like promised, but it only continued without a moment's pause. While he couldn't see the inflicting damage directly, the amount of water splattering to the ground—though upon closer inspection, it was thick and a darker blue—was enough of a visual to show the demon was growing out of control.
Eight... nine... a tenth flog passed, and still no signs of slowing. Manaphy's voice had been steadily becoming strained from his tortured cries, his body slumping in place. On the twelfth, judging by the horrendous wails and when the whip was forcibly snapped back, one of the spines had gotten stuck and snapped off. Mewtwo's stomach churned, and he clutched at his head, dropping his gaze to the grass before him.
No more... no more of this! his mind moaned out on the verge of tears.
This madness has to end!
There came another strangled cry, and he saw blood splash in his line of vision, even felt it speckle his face. The screams grated his eardrums, driving him further into sickness and insanity. Then he heard it... louder than any other ambient noise... the unmistakable cackle so unlike her voice, but he couldn't tell if it was in the present or from memory. It was just
there, like she was laughing in his ear at that very moment, mocking him with every breath as she beat him into a bloody wreck. She called him names, told him he was worthless, weak, unloved, an abomination who should have perished at birth—
“Stop it, stop it,
stop it-stop it-STOP IT!”
And there was a loud pop, and the slight thud of a body hitting the ground. He snapped his head up, first spotting the Legendaries all leaning over each other, arms up from banging on the barrier, staring in dismay off to the side. He slowly scanned the grass covered in puddles of blood that led to the twitching figure of Manaphy. His back was torn to shreds, hardly an inch was spared. As the obstruction had dropped, Latias approached with caution, gingerly scooping him into her arms as she cried, tilting her head back. Swallowing down his nausea, Mewtwo hesitantly lifted his eyes.
Mew's body was held suspended, arm frozen above her with the whip hanging off her fingers. Her neck and spine had been forcibly bent past their limits, her head hanging out of sight. He gasped sharply, stumbling backward onto his haunches as he quaked in fright, and dry heaved. The Legendaries tore themselves away to gawk at him, watching as his eyes widened to a point his irises and pupils appeared to have shrunk. The sight was unsettling, they couldn't help but feel anguished from the moment.
There then came a crack, and they looked over as Mew disturbingly hunched herself forward and twisted her spine and neck back into place with a snap. Blood thickly dribbled from her mouth, nose and ears, though they assumed her eyes also bled judging by how red they were when she swerved over to face him. Her teeth were clenched tightly, veins pulsing in her temples and neck as her irises dangerously flashed.
“I have
had it with you,” was the snarl, arms trembling. “I offer you choices, none of which ever appeal to you. I went ahead to give you a chance to enjoy yourself to your heart's content, yet you let that
bitch tell you otherwise. I made the choice to not kill your friends, hell, I was even going to take you up on your offer, and this is how you
repay me!? Do you
enjoy resisting me, you bastard?! Are you
that desperate to die?!”
Mewtwo retained his silence as he finally averted his gaze, covering his face with a shaky hand. Legion let out a harsh huff, oblivious to or ignoring the young Eon dragon as she carted away Manaphy and pushed past the group to the lake behind them. Bringing the whip to eye-level, he glared at its crimson shine and coat of blood still dripping from the ends. With narrowed eyes, the demon glanced back at the huddled clone.
“So be it,” he rasped out. “If I cannot get you to cooperate, I shall get another spirit who is willing to fulfill my work.”
Moving forward, he raised the whip.
*~*~*
The pain wasn't anything new, but it caught Mew off-guard from how quick it was. She was so engrossed in Mewtwo's growing emotions, when she felt what may have been a sharp object digging into his skin and igniting a searing fire, she temporarily forgot how to scream. After a few more strikes, she was driven to her knees in a whimpering mess. Amber had taken hold of her the moment she showed signs of agony, and the girl tried her best to calm the feline down. But as the beatings progressed, the feline couldn't take it anymore, and cried out as loud as her voice could handle it.
“Make it stop,
make it STOP!” she shrieked through her tears, fingers dangerously gouging into her face as she trembled.
The child pushed her closer in the hopes to stabilize her thrashing. “Deep breaths, Mew. In... and out...”
“Oh, God, what is he
doing to him?!”
“Mew, please calm yourself down.”
“Amber, I think he's killing him!” She choked on a wail, and she buried her face into the dress. “He's killing him!”
She closed her eyes tightly as she nodded. “He's lost so much blood from earlier... He will in a few minutes if this keeps up.”
Mew snagged her sleeves, shaking her head so hard, she grew dizzy. “No,
no! He can't! Amber, don't make him come here, please!”
Placing a comforting hand on her head, she murmured, “It's not up to me to decide who lives and who dies.”
Eyes widened as the tiny feline trembled from another wave of pain. “Wha... b-but I thought...”
Amber shook her head with a sad smile. “I am only an angel. I am not the Judge.”
“But you said... I-I... What was with the mirror, then?!”
“It is used by those who wish to interact with those beyond the Veil they still hold dear to their hearts.” She squeezed the Legendary into a hug, staring at the bloody gashes that were opening on Mew's back. “Even if they have been forgotten...”
The Legendary opened her mouth to speak out again only to have another scream escape her. She covered her face, then pulled her hand away to stare horrifically at the fresh blood running down her palm. Amber sternly grasped her small paws, locking eyes with her.
“Mew, I want you to break your right wrist.”
She gasped. “You want me to
what?!”
“It will only be for a few minutes. Trust me.” Then she let her go.
Mew gaped at the girl, her flinches and pains steadily becoming less and less conspicuous. As much as she didn't wish to believe her, her heart couldn't deny what she said. She thought of the mirror, and the bonding she shared with Mewtwo, which in turn took her back to a memory from not too long ago.
“
...whatever happens to our bodies... happens to us and vice versa... because we take the form of them.”
Taking a deep, labored breath, she nodded in assurance and tightly gripped her wrist. Biting her lip, she scrunched her eyes shut to brace herself.
*~*~*
The pleadings of the Legendaries had grown feeble the longer and harder the floggings continued. Helpless behind a newly-created thick barrier, they could only watch through their tears as Mewtwo was mercilessly scourged. Legion had placed all of his anger into the whip, yet showed some satisfaction at the spilling of his blood by laughing or licking it off Mew's cheek. The clone's cries of agony had by now been demoralized to gasps as he struggled to remain conscious. His back was littered with shards that had broken off and been hammered into his wounds.
Giggling insanely, the feline teasingly cracked the whip in the air to shower crystal fragments like confetti over his nearly-motionless body before cutting across his shoulders. “Oh, this is beautiful!” she gasped out. “Of everything I have done in my eternal life, I never had this much fun, nor been this excited! If I was not killing you, Mewtwo, I would have let you and your friends go until after I tire of this memory!”
“Mewtwo, no,” Shaymin moaned out, hiccuping on her sobs.
Mew paused for a quick breather, smirking down at the broken Legendary. “One more should do it,” she murmured, taking in the amount of blood. “Consider this my last kiss good-bye,
darling.” She raised it above her head as far back as she could go.
There then came a vile snap of bone as her wrist suddenly twisted a one-eighty. She dropped the whip with a startled cry, staring in dismay at her limp paw. Gritting her teeth so her breaths came out as hisses, she shot her head up to look at the astonished crowd, then at Mewtwo. Noticing how brief his breathing was, a frown carved itself onto her lips. Putting aside the concern for her injured hand, she telekinetically raised up his ragged body and dragged him to a tree. Reaching inside the closest spire, she pulled out crystalline rope and tied him to the trunk, the pressure against his wounds causing him to twitch and weakly groan.
After staring down at him for a few moments, she stole a glance at the Legendaries who were all still too in awe to speak out. She scanned the area around them as though measuring the perimeter of their enclosed prison, even craned her neck for a glimpse of Manaphy half-submerged by the water's edge, then floated off for the exit without another word. When she disappeared around the bend, they let out the breaths they had held, and quietly wept where they stood.
), but I'm pursuing a career in film and video. But I hear that a lot of authors are writers on the side, lol. As much as I love writing, my passion's more for drawing, so I may write a book or two, but I'd more likely make mangas (again, of course) if I end up not being an author in that way. ...though I hear there are classes on how to draw *****... and I'm not in graphic design anyway...
Also I remember where the name 'Amber' was from. I feel so proud of myself! And Mew! Mew is so awesome! Breaking her wrist to break Legion's wrist? Never saw that coming. But this chapter was pretty brutal. 
Tonight I decided to continue where I left off some months ago and I have fallen in love once again. 