Once again, it was hard to write (went through a couple of rewrites), but I managed. Still not proud of it, so it may be edited in the future.
Enjoy.
*~*~*~*
Mewtwo was up just before the sun broke over the horizon, ignoring his aches and grogginess to slip out of bed while Mew was still asleep. He stood in place for a few moments to look her over, taking in her relaxed expression and her messy, tear-stained fur. Pangs struck his chest at the memory of the previous day; a part of him assured he did the best he could, the other berated him for taking advantage of her. As far as he was concerned it was a combination of both that gave him a guilt trip, for he believed that no matter what he would have done, she was doomed to fall apart.
"
I am sorry, dear," he murmured before exiting the room.
He went straight through the house and out the door without looking back, keeping his eyes locked on the road. The breeze was chilly, but Mewtwo ignored the nips to his face as he attempted to turn off his thoughts. But as if to play with his emotions, the memories pushed themselves through without difficulty. Not surprisingly, there were more positive moments than there were negative—he didn't want those rubbed into his wounds, yet he felt the happier memories made them worse. Chronologically, they were all out of order: There was one from a couple of years ago when she tried to seduce him while drunk; another from sometime before they became mates as she (half-heartedly) pouted from a disagreement; then it was the morning after their latest anniversary when she lovingly smiled up at him with her eyes, his arm held close.
The clone felt like he was losing himself, numb to his body and surroundings. The memories continued to pile on and overwhelm him, hardly giving him the chance to dwell on them. He fought back to block more from coming, to give him a peace of mind for at least a few moments. One managed to slip on by with a question that got him to nearly halt in place.
During their first meeting... why didn't she flee?
How did I not see it coming?
Mewtwo's back throbbed when he straightened up, deeply frowning and gritting his teeth as he pressed his palm to the base of his tail. He turned to face the offender, eyes narrowing at the familiar sight of pink on the rooftop sitting up, rubbing its head. It had been a good few years since they last saw each other, though he was certain they would never meet up again.
"You again," he couldn't help but let out a small growl. "What is your business here, Mew?"
Large blue eyes locked onto him, which only grew wider as the mouth dropped. The clone flicked his tail sharply to push the cloak away from himself, but also to show he was irritated. He was not in the mood for visitors (not that he had visitors to begin with). "I ask you again—what is your business here?"
Mew remained frozen in place, continuing to gawk up at him. It didn't take long for Mewtwo to notice something was different with the Mythical Pokémon's aura. What had strength and a mysterious power was completely absent, replaced instead with instability. When he took a step forward, the feline fell back with a frightened gasp, ears lowering and tail curling closer to further prove his suspicions. His brows raised slightly; what were the odds of him meeting a second Mew?
Once their gazes broke, he wrapped his cloak about himself. "I apologize. You are not whom I thought you were," he murmured. "I have no need for you. Leave here, or I will not hesitate to use force."
The movement was brief, but he noticed Mew's jaw locking up, hands clenching where they lay against the chest. Quickly scanning about the Pokémon's figure, he came to the conclusion this was a female compared to the male he knew. She was physically curvier with more delicate features, from her thick eyelashes to her tail—the oar-shaped bulb was smaller. He couldn't tell if she was tinier, particularly not while she was still recoiling where she sat, though that detail was hardly his priority.
"So be it. If you cannot make up your mind, then I will do it my way." Mewtwo reached out a hand as his eyes glowed, and momentarily she was enveloped in a blue aura. She notably tensed up, but remained limp even when being raised to eye-level. He briefly paused to consider whether to toss her away, or teleport her elsewhere—whichever one felt more fitting for a creature of her status.
"Did God send you?"
While he wasn't taken aback by what she said, he briefly lifted his chin at her quiet tone. " Hmm? "
She met his stare, not out of fear or boldness—there was hardly an emotion to be seen. He noticed she appeared very tired, or at least lost in her own little world. How else would she ask such a strange question? Her mouth opened slightly, and she took in breath for a moment.
"Are you the angel of death?"
Even while in a city setting, silence hung in the air as they gauged each other. In his mind, Mewtwo first dismissed her comments as that of delusion as she didn't appear to be fully aware of her surroundings. Then he thought of what she may have seen after running into him, finding it to be possible she looked at him wrong—the lights of the city could have helped play tricks on her. And from that, he questioned if she even knew where she was to begin with. If he remembered correctly, the Mew species typically live in jungles, though they travel around the world and pick up new customs. Perhaps she was doing just that, even if it didn't explain why she ran into him.
When her eyes fell shut, he put his hand down to dissipate the aura. She caught herself from dropping, blinking up at him with a deep frown. He turned his back on her, stepping closer to the edge of the rooftop. "I do not take lives anymore," he quietly responded. "I apologize for disappointing you, if that was whom you were looking for."
She didn't respond, neither did she leave. He kept his eyes on the cityscape as a silent signal he wasn't interested in her, slowly counting down to when he expected her to fly off. However, her presence remained unchanged, becoming apparent to him there was more to her than he expected, let alone wanted. He was growing more bothered having her behind him.
The clone snuck a peek over his shoulder, his heart jolting when they made eye-contact. He quickly turned back to the city, cursing himself. "If you have no further business here, then please leave," he ordered, trying not to sound snappish.
There was a brief fluctuation he sensed was of her moving, but she still remained put. "Since you know my name... can I have yours?"
...That was all she wanted? She waited as long as she did just for his name? Whether it was a custom of hers or not, while he had no problems with such courtesy (though given the circumstances of their meeting, it was a bit questionable), it was of her hovering without saying a word that baffled him.
I thought all Mew were the same, he grumbled to himself, brows knitting. Glancing back, he took in her tiny figure. If she is juvenile and not because of sexual dimorphism, then it would make some sense. However, her aura does not match up... She had instability, but he sensed experience, suggesting the age of a mature adult. It was still nothing like the Mew he met, she did not have that confidence and authority despite the hint of strong, psychic vibes. Not that it was surprising if the species was among the most powerful in the world. Perhaps she was the runt of her litter, it would be the only other explanation.
Mewtwo snorted slightly, his patience reaching his limit. He was not in the mood to analyze her, let alone to devote any more time to her. "I do not wish to make an acquaintanceship with you, nor anyone of your kind. It is for the best we never meet again."
It took a moment longer than he wanted, but the atmosphere became lighter as she left. He sighed through his nose, beginning to clear his mind of all unwanted thoughts to the way it was before he was disturbed. Yet something pricked his mind that he ended up casting his eyes in her direction. She was already far off into the distance, but he blinked in disbelief when she turned to look over her shoulder, and their gazes locked.
Noticing his eyes had drifted to the ground, Mewtwo shook his head and glanced down the path, pushing himself forward. The nagging memories kept playing through, more of a remembrance than anything. He never did learn what she had done later that night, but he had expected to be left alone from then-on. Yet for whatever reason at the time, she returned the following night to try and start off on better terms. He didn't give her his name for another few encounters after each fruitless attempt to be rid of her. It took a great deal of patience before he came to see her as an acquaintance, and even longer as a friend.
It never once occurred to him they would one day live together, that they would talk about nothing and everything, eat at the same time and place, have date nights... sleep and wake up together. He never knew before that fateful night that Mew would be at his side as his mate, smiling and holding his hand. Even before their first intimate embrace did he never consider he would gradually fall in love. He wouldn't have believed himself had either of those thoughts come to mind.
Much like how he did not once think it would all be on the line someday.
The moment the clinic came into view, Mewtwo almost stumbled returning to the present, ducking his head to quickly wipe at his eyes for any stray tears. Once he was sure he regained his composure, he straightened back up just to feel his heart sink at the sight of Dr. Mime waiting before the doors, talking inaudibly to one of the Blissey nurses beside him. When they made eye-contact, he nearly slowed to a halt once he noticed the nurse had an object in her hands.
"Well, you're right on time," Mime said when he was in earshot, his tone somber. "We thought we'd wait outside for you."
Mewtwo paused feet away, giving a solemn bow. "
I apologize for making you come so early."
"No need, I would've been here regardless."
He darted his eyes over to what the nurse was holding. "
So... I take it that is..." His words died when he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.
She held it out with a grave expression on her face. Mewtwo reluctantly stepped forward to take it out of her hands, nearly dropping it doing so. It wasn't heavy, but he could swear the weight was pulling him down the longer he stared at the urn. It was a simple design, nothing fancy engraved on the wood to give it the appearance of anything other than a small coffin. His fingertip brushed along the lid, shooting a shiver up his spine.
Quickly taking his eyes off of it, the clone turned to the Blissey. "
I..." He flinched when their visions crossed, then resumed what he was going to say. "
I heard you had an egg not too long ago."
She appeared a little taken aback, but she managed a small smile. "Oh... yes, I did."
A twinge of guilt for not automatically recognizing her as Grant's mate made him inwardly wince before speaking again. "
It is a little late, but congratulations."
Basil grew flustered, looking as if she didn't expect to be put on the spot. "Thank you... and I'm sorry about what happened."
He shook his head. "
Please do not feel sorry for me. I deserve to be scolded, even yelled at."
Dr. Mime stepped in, nodding at her who then bowed in return and went into the clinic. "How is Mew doing?" he asked, quickly changing the topic.
Despite being not at ease, Mewtwo still answered, "
She was still asleep when I left."
The doctor nodded again, slow and solemn. Even outside, he looked aged and tired, convincing the clone he looked like that for a while. "You'll need to be there when she wakes up," he quietly said, curling his hands behind his back. "Stay calm and attempt to keep her stable for the time being. If she goes out of control, even if you manage to settle her down, you need to contact me."
He didn't need to be told what to do, but the clone acknowledged out of courtesy, "
Yes, doctor."
Mime frowned deeply; Mewtwo felt he didn't believe him to be truthful, or at least serious. "I mean it. She will need to be prepared for therapy, and the first step is making sure she is cooperative. In the meantime, you should also prepare yourself, for you will not have just her to look after. Your own health will be at stake here."
So even he wasn't in the clear. He had a feeling that was going to be the case, but he had personal confidence he would be more better off than Mew. The news of Lucky may have affected him, but it wasn't as severe as hers. For all he knew, he got the aftershocks from her own breakdown.
"
I understand," he muttered when he was quiet for a few seconds too long.
The Mr. Mime reached up to clap him on the shoulder in comfort. Mewtwo couldn't shrug him off out of respect. "Go to her, Mewtwo. Be careful."
Turning around, the clone took his time returning home, staring down at the coffin. His hands trembled enough times for him to support it psychically, though the building anxiety was affecting his concentration. He kept his head down to avoid possible eye-contact, hoping no one (namely Swampert) would be nearby to stop him in concern.
He didn't want their pity, or their thoughts. He was responsible for all of this, he had to be. There was no denying everything happened because of a decision he made. What that was, however, was difficult to pinpoint. Anything he could have done to or with Mew would have led up to it eventually, albeit with slightly different outcomes. He should have foreseen it coming, somehow or another.
He could think ahead, so how could this scenario never once cross his mind? Did he just not allow it to? Was it because he chose to ignore her mental health?
There was a heavy atmosphere surrounding the house as Mewtwo approached, subconsciously alerting him something went awry when he was out. Scarcely did he cross the threshold when there came a sudden slam and rattle from the kitchen. A second later, Mew zipped around the corner, eyes wide in panic as she pounced on his chest and bawled, sinking her claws into him.
"Mewtwo, where in God's name have you been?!" she screamed, subdued by sobs. "Lucky's missing! I can't find him anywhere!"
He threatened to crumble before her as his arms and knees trembled, and eyes stung from tears he desperately held back. He wanted to comfort her, to let her cry it all out until she was calm, but his aching heart couldn't let him withhold the news. Gripping the urn, he cautiously held it out within her line of sight. Her sobs slowed to hiccups the longer she stared at it.
"What... what's this?" she choked out.
The clone shamefully averted his eyes for a moment. "
His ashes."
Warily, Mew took it from him, letting it lay delicately in the middle of her palms. She ran her fingers along its length and top surface, realization steadily settling on her face. He couldn't watch it all fall apart, but his guilt kept him from walking away. He turned to close and lock the door on the off-chance a neighbor was to come along, wishing he made their house soundproof.
"You knew... didn't you?" she tearfully inquired, her voice soft.
Mewtwo couldn't bring himself to say a word when he looked back at her. While he felt no desire to lie to her anymore, he feared one poorly-worded sentence would be the end of it. His more pessimistic side was sure
any word would lead to a disaster, so he kept quiet.
His mate glanced up at him after another moment of silence, her spirit visibly broken. "You... you didn't want children, did you?"
He painfully swallowed down a lump, hanging his head in shame. In a low tired tone, he gingerly spoke his piece, the one he should've stated a long time ago, "
I am sorry. You were disappointed the first time you had asked, and I could tell you were going to be heartbroken if I had said 'no' this last time."
She backed away, tears shimmering in the light. "So... it was all a lie. E-Everything was a lie."
Mewtwo couldn't defend himself by correcting her, he could only briefly shake his head. Racked with sobs, her teeth gritted and her glare hardened. "Why did you agree to it, then?!" she yelled in a near stammer. "Why would you play with my
heart?!"
"
Mew, please hear me out—" he tried to assure her.
"How could you?! You promised!"
"
I never made a promise."
She slapped him with her tail before turning her back on him. "Stop it! Stop lying to me!" Her form shook enough she fell to the floor, cradling the urn as she wailed. Ignoring his throbbing cheek, the clone looked away from her pitiful state. He braced himself for the end that was breathing down his neck.
"Y-You knew, Mewtwo," she hiccuped. "You knew I wanted children, h-how much it meant to me. So why would you do this to me?! Why didn't you say so, Mewtwo?! Why did you
lie to me?!"
He needed a single beat to catch his breath. "
I wanted to make you happy..."
Mew then wheeled around, her incisors bared, irises shrunken and face contorted in enough rage to split shadows across her eyes. "SO WHY DID YOU
LIE TO ME?!" It wasn't her screaming that made him inwardly flinch as it was the hostility behind it. Her usual calm and collective behavior was absent, her body shaking from anger. "I-I thought we were
mates, Mewtwo! I trusted you, I believed everything you said! What we did last night... was that all a lie as well?! Why the hell did you do all of that when you
knew what happened?! What did that accomplish?!"
Mewtwo shouldn't have been surprised she remembered the events of the previous day, but it still struck him out of the blue. He couldn't deny what he did was out of line to keep her blissfully unaware of the tragedy. Though she had acted upon it accordingly, the guilt of forcing himself on her sunk deep into his core. His mind tried to distance himself from the word "rape", arguing she consented even under hypnosis, but his heart felt otherwise.
His mate's leer darkened when he remained silent. "I should've known you were no different from them!" she snarled. "None of those bastards cared for me, so why should
you?! You just wanted to have sex with me, is that it?!"
He chose to stay quiet, watching the tears drip off her chin. Her accusations hit too close for him to correct her as much as he wanted to say so; he didn't disagree, otherwise. Far as he was concerned, she had every right to be mad at him, and call him names if she wanted to.
Mew slowly shook her head about as though in denial, looking down at the urn still clenched in her trembling hands. "Five years," she mumbled almost under her breath until she inhaled deeply. "Why did you lie for five years?!"
It was a question Mewtwo knew how to respond with, but didn't want to. He dreaded to give such a response, knowing it would change nothing except her views on him—possibly. However, as simple as the questions were, he had convinced himself it would be hard to give his answers for what he did. He had to lie to her about the house to hide his true feelings, a fear he had hoped he would never have to come to pass. Only difference now was this had nothing to do with the house and their neighbors, their lifestyle, nor was it about children. The reason, the fear, was one that was selfish of him for having.
"
...I was afraid you would leave me."
Companionship had been with him in the friendships of his clones, they just did not stay together long enough for a very lasting friendship. He was quick to grow accustomed to loneliness after their separation because he was free to do as he pleased. He had tried to chase Mew away for interrupting his peaceful, if simple lifestyle, but her persistence got to him. She was a good friend after everything settled, which was probably why he was not completely reluctant about them becoming mates after the shock wore off. It took a while, but he learned there was something deeper and more meaningful about just being able to go to bed with and wake up beside his significant other.
Perhaps there was the chance she thought so, too.
"
Leave you?" She snorted out a laugh. "No, no, the
female doesn't leave. It's always the male that leaves. The female has no right in saying who goes and stays. But I suppose we could make an exception in our case, since
nature doesn't exist here."
Whether it was her actual mindset or just the anger talking, Mewtwo knew that was incorrect. As dominant as the males tended to be, he had observed females taking charge more often than not, both in Pokémon and human populations. Both members would stay for a long time if neither of their companion said a word as it was more convenient—if nature didn't get in the way of some of them. While more noticeable in males, even the female would choose to leave on their own, but they tended to get a push toward that direction. It was interesting behavior, though humans were more fascinating, choosing more of a monogamous lifestyle. Supposedly, that was what separated them from Pokémon in mating habits.
"For life"... it was what she had wanted. While he personally did not want it for a long time, he was not going to complain about her decision, though that was before he got to really know her. They became more adapted, more attracted to one another within a short amount of time, thus he imagined she would have extended the time if it was shorter. Or she would have pretended she never set a limit. That was how happy she was.
Mew turned her back on him and moved for the hallway, but paused, touching the wall's edge. She hung her head, shoulders visibly shaking. "Whatever happened to the Mewtwo who wasn't afraid to speak his mind?" she muttered. Her voice choked on a sob she attempted to hide. "I'm so stupid. I-I should've known..."
Cautiously, he stepped toward her, reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder. She recoiled before he even brushed skin, still refusing to look at him. "Just go, Mewtwo. Leave me... that's what they all did..." Keeping close to the wall as possible, she sped for their bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Mewtwo slumped against the entranceway, feeling his energy draining to leave behind a cold husk. He was neither angry nor sad, believing he did what he could without any further provocations. The house may have still been intact, but the interaction was what he thought it would be. Casting his gaze to the kitchen, he saw the mess strewn about as a result of her tearing it apart looking for the egg. It wouldn't take long to reorganize, and he wondered what the other rooms looked like.
There then came a crash from their bedroom, startling him out of his tired state to rush in. It was trashed as well: their bed was practically dug into and scattered about the room, the crib and other items for Lucky were tossed aside in the same manner, and the curtains were torn away from the curtain rod, which was broken in half on the floor. Mew was in the middle of it all, staring wildly at the wall closest to the door while breathing heavily. Mewtwo followed her gaze to the hole in the wall, and gauged its cracks trailing down to the pile of ash and splinters.
Once his breathing stabilized, he looked back at her. She did a slight double-take toward him before her eyes narrowed spitefully and avoided his gaze, remaining in place. Shivering from the cold shoulder, the clone returned his attention to the broken urn, raising a shaky glowing hand over it. Every speck of wood and ash gathered together into a tight ball which he lifted to eye-level. Without looking at his mate, he left the room to properly dispose of it, suddenly finding it awkward to walk, but choosing to ignore it.
When he was outside, Mewtwo nearly dropped his hold on it when his arm fell limp. He slumped against the side of the house, casting his eyes about the sky where it was the brightest. The sun had to be just about over the horizon now, and the new day would start without them. In about an hour, everyone would be gone from their homes and out in the field. It was possible someone would come check up on them or at least to invite Mew to join them, but he hoped that wouldn't be the case. It would be cruel to have her cheer for the children in this state.
It felt like an insignificant blessing, but he had to take what he could get.
Glancing down at the ashes one last time, he chucked it into the woods where he dropped his psychic hold to watch it scatter. There was no use for a burial if none of them were going to honor what never lived. His guilt didn't subside, though, making it harder for him to head inside for his upset mate. Once he willed himself to, he found her in the kitchen amongst the broken utensils and plates, back turned to him and staring at possibly nothing. Her aura was very brooding, but still not much different from earlier.
Mewtwo turned to leave her be until he spotted a glint at her side. With a closer inspection, he felt his heart stop at how tightly she clenched the knife. He hurried over to take it—he didn't think ahead. Before he could touch her, she swung around with a yell and sliced his shoulder, almost plunging the blade into him.
He managed to swallow down the pain, and pried the knife out of her hand with little difficulty to throw it in a corner. His attempt to hug her, however, was futile. She struggled in his hold, screaming and kicking to throw him off.
"GET YOUR
FILTHY HANDS OFF OF ME!"
"
Mew, please calm down," he growled, fighting the desire to yell back.
"I DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF YOUR LIES!"
"
I want you to talk to me!" He let out a small wheeze when she slammed a foot against his ribs.
"I'M
DONE WITH YOU!"
"
I know how you feel, but I want to talk this through!"
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP,
SHUT UP!"
There came what felt like an electrical surge in his heart and it rushed through his veins, causing Mewtwo to release her with a scream. He fell back as he spasmed, his vision popping in-and-out of focus. It was growing more difficult to breathe and recall thoughts with every passing second, too locked on to the pain. He fought against it, trying to reach out for Mew whose irises were enveloped in blue, but her face was distorted.
She looked to be hyperventilating, caught in a disarray of emotions consisting of rage along with grief and confusion. She didn't know whether to love or hate him, to forgive or reject. Even when she squeezed his throat and shoved him down, tears spilled over and her fingers shook. He grasped her scarred wrist to pull her off—
—and it was as if something burst in his head, sending him into immediate darkness before he could manage a gasp.
*~*~*
Curled at the base of a tree deep in the community, Mew still couldn't rest. She had run out of tears some time ago, but continued to sob. While she couldn't remember much of the past hour, she knew what she had done in her heartbreak and fear. It wasn't enough to kill him, let alone permanently damage him, yet she didn't want to go back to see if he had recovered yet. She had said a lot of nasty things to him as much as he probably deserved them. It was how gentle he was toward her that frightened her; he still reached out, to set things right.
What did he want? Forgiveness for his mistakes? Or was it to forgive
her?
Whimpering, she resumed wandering in a random direction. If he wanted to be with her, he'll have to find her. She was willing to put up a fight in not wanting to go back—he'll need to convince her to change her mind. A part of her, however, did want to return home so she could be there when he came to and make his final decision. She just didn't want to be forgiven. If they were to separate because of it, she was not going to argue.
I'm used to it... it's normal.
Mew gritted her teeth and clawed a tree, still unable to cry it out.
I'm only lying to myself. How does one get used to being abandoned? Only someone with a sick mind would think that! She then felt like throwing up when a small wave of nausea hit her, and she wrapped an arm around her stomach.
Happy thoughts, Mew... be happy...
Her ears caught on to the faint, ambient sound of a crowd, her aching heart doing flips when she recognized it. So, she managed to wander over to the field. She had almost forgotten it was Thursday, it was a wonder why no one came to remind her. Then again, she had gotten up a little early, and it would've been another hour or two before either Wigs or Rachelle would stop by with their children in tow. Had they already gone to their house to check on her? Was Mewtwo able to answer? Or did they forget?
Keeping to the shadows, Mew slowly approached the clearing. She saw the field first where the children had gathered, split into their two teams of the week. Casting her eyes about, she spotted Static and Patch standing at two separate bases, and one of Wigs' children—presumably Lyle since she couldn't find a ribbon on him—was out in the field. Looking for the other team, she saw Missy was at the front of the line, her mouth moving wide in a shout to Jig, who was at bat. Behind her as the umpire was Grant, towering over the players and appearing as though his chest was puffed out.
Something popped into mind that she remembered hearing the Granbull's egg recently hatched. She turned her eyes to the crowd to look for his mate, though she couldn't tell if the Blissey she saw was her. As she didn't appear to be carrying a child, she figured she wasn't the one. Mew felt her heart ache even more, getting the twinge of jealousy at how it was
she had a real child and not herself. What were the differences between their eggs, anyway?
The wave of dizziness returned, forcing her to look away and take deep breaths. Hugging the tree she leaned against, she whimpered to herself, "Don't hate on Basil. She did nothing to deserve it."
So who does?
She froze at the biting thought, and her eyes drifted over to the crowd, carefully scanning over every member that she focused on. Her heart knew they were all innocent, but her mind wanted to prove otherwise. Someone had started the cause of her misery. Mewtwo may have helped, but he didn't start it. There was one who was the first trigger in the domino effect that cost her her happiness, someone who was close to her.
When Mew found her in the back, it was as if the world stopped. As the memories flooded in, she remained focused on the tall figure, who was laughing and chatting with the others. At what, she couldn't tell from the distance, but she had a feeling. It was odd. She still kept herself from reading their thoughts, and yet the longer she watched, the more she got out of it. Her mind grew obsessed by the possibilities, grabbing at them as they came to assess and match them.
There was no doubt about it: it was about
her. They—or more specifically,
the witch was laughing at her gullibility.
The witch laughed at how she was able to play with her emotions, to gain her trust and crush it behind her back.
The witch needed a way to hide her mistakes, a scapegoat for why she did it.
Well, the perfect opportunity presented itself to publicly expose the witch. The whole community would know of what she did. How ironic that the gossiper would be the source of gossip. What a fitting start to her punishment. It would bring enough shame to her she would
have to beg for forgiveness. But she will never forgive her.
Hands clenching into fists, Mew pushed herself from the tree and made her approach.
*~*~*
The bat made contact, causing the Jigglypuff to stumble back from the recoil just as the ball sailed sharply to the left. "Foul ball! Strike two!" Grant called it over the groans of the children behind him.
Rachelle and Marjorie laughed a bit while Wigs sucked in a breath. "Ooh, she was close," she sighed, hoisting the young Igglybuff higher on her arm.
Smiling, the electric rodent turned to her companion. "Jig
really wanted to use the wooden bat," she said through a chuckle. A tug on her tail distracted her for a brief moment to see what her youngest was doing, then shifted back around. "Has she been practicing?"
"Not in the house," the rabbit joked. "But since she can hold it up, I'm guessing so."
"I think Missy's been teaching her," said Marjorie, gazing upon her daughter. She felt a sense of pride when Missy patted Jig on the back after her strike out. "She's a good girl."
Wigs nodded. "I could've sworn it was only a few months ago when she pulled her last prank."
Rachelle shook her head. "I remember her getting in trouble along with Patch and Static about that time. My kids broke Aqua's window and made her go in after the ball. She ended up breaking something
else trying to escape when Goddard caught her."
The specter frowned, briefly looking away from the field when Missy picked up the bat. "Why wasn't I informed of this?" she inquired in a skeptic tone.
Her friend shrugged. "I told her to tell you once she got home."
She lifted her eyes in thought. "Oh, you know what, I think I was out on a date that night."
"I know, Marjorie, I babysat her."
"So why didn't you tell me yourself?" Her gaze narrowed slightly, her mouth curling to the side.
Scratching her ear nervously, Rachelle muttered, "I slept in late... forgot to have Rugby pass it along."
Marjorie slumped and raised her tassels in yield, smiling crookedly. "Well, it's better late than never."
"Oh, is that Mew coming this way?" Wigs piped up, pointing toward the woods.
They curiously turned around, looking past the crowd to spot the arrival of the small feline. Rachelle's tail stopped being tugged when Chester cooed out "Moo-Moo!", and began waddling forward. Tilting her head with a worried frown as she got up to grab the child, the Raichu muttered, "Isn't she supposed to be resting after yesterday?"
The ghost crossed her tassels, matching her friend's expression. "Maybe she wants to talk."
The Wigglytuff's ears twitched. "Why out here, then?" she muttered, also standing. "Good morning, Mew!" she called after her (which caught a few surrounding spectators' attentions, as well as made Rachelle briefly pinch her ear shut). She put on a wide smile as she waved. "You feeling better?"
The closer Mew approached, the more they noticed something was off about her. Her shoulders were rolled back, her head tilted down for emphasis on the shadows beneath her brows, and her tail was straightened. Marjorie felt a shiver run down her back, sensing a negative emotion permeating the air. After a quick glance at the others and at the field, she moved to greet her.
"Hey, Mew," she started, nervously smiling. "Sorry we didn't come get you. We heard you weren't feeling well lately, so—"
"YOU LYING
BITCH!"
She along with Wigs and Rachelle flinched as they clutched their infants, her eyes widening at the sudden burst of dark aura flickering from her body. Mew's voice carried a bit into the distance, startling the other Pokémon who didn't notice her arrival. Even at the adjacent playground and on the field, some were distracted by the growing murmur and turned for a look. Missy had been one of the first to notice, the bat slipping out of her grasp.
The Mismagius backed up a bit, her smile fading with every breath. "Mew! What're you saying?"
With teeth and fists clenched, the feline swung her tail, slapping her in the face. The specter went flying feet away, then was tackled to the ground, hands around her neck. "YOU KNEW! YOU
FUCKING KNEW!"
She struggled to shove Mew off just to come to the realization she couldn't touch her without feeling like she was being burned. From behind, Rachelle handed Chester to the nearest Pokémon and hurried up to grab her, only to be forcibly shoved back by an invisible repellent.
"Get off of her!" she yelled, trying to push her way through.
Tears stinging in her eyes, Marjorie flailed about to find an open spot, but she squeezed harder. "I-I... s-s-sorry..." she managed to choke out.
Mew then punched her, bringing another agonized scream from her. "'SORRY' WON'T F
UCKING CUT IT, WHORE!" she hollered over her, yanking her up to slam her head on the ground.
"Stop it, please!" came another cry from behind as Rachelle and a few others made another attempt to break through.
The cough ripped out of her throat, and she felt like her eyes were bulging from their sockets. Marjorie could only gaze in horror at what was left of her friend, fighting for a breath as she rambled on, "I spent countless hours tending to that egg! I cared for it, I cherished it, I LOVED IT! I gave it a name, I gave it a bed and toys! I even got that goddamn book for Mewtwo to read every night!" With a yell, she landed another punch, then dug her claws into the hat's rim, her movement suggesting she was trying to pop it off. Though now able to breathe, the specter could only scream and shake her head violently.
"What the hell is going on?!" Grant barked, storming his way through the crowd along with Dr. Mime. "You two, break it up—
holy Ho-Oh!"
"We can't break through!" Rachelle wailed at the barrier, digging her heels in to keep from being thrust backward.
Moving to place his hands on the invisible force, Mime suddenly jumped back with a gasp, his hands trembling and dripping blood. "Not even a Dark-type can emit this powerful an aura!"
Grant, who was in position to ram it, swerved over in awe. "Your Psychic typing is useless here?!" he roared. "Damn! Anyone know a Fighting move?!"
"I don't think that'll make a difference," he muttered, cursing under his breath. Glancing behind, he quickly formed an invisible wall around the gathering children and began pushing them back despite their protests.
"Oh, Arceus,
no-OOOO!"
As she thrashed about and wailed from the broken rim, Marjorie believed the top of her head was being ripped off, if not snapping in half. One of Mew's hands dropped to where the extension and her cranium met, and readily dug her fingers into her.
"MEW, STOP, PLEASE!" she screamed, tears welling up."I DIDN'T KNOW! I SWEAR I DIDN'T KNOW!"
The wild eyes glowing with bloodlust became more punctuated with her maddening grin. "How do I know it wasn't an illusion?!" she hissed. "Your kind
loves playing tricks! I bet you conjured up that egg to make your sob story plausible!"
Another wave of pain struck the Mismagius, and she felt liquid she guessed was her equivalent to blood run down the side of her face. She must have now broken through, and was getting ready to scalp her.
"And what if Dusknoir never left you, and you abandoned your daughter just so you could be with him!" Mew continued her accusations. "Hell, he may not have even
existed, and it was all an illusion! You planned the perfect trick,
but you forgot one important detail!" She leaned in to take up her entire vision. "It was the baby! You couldn't even conjure up a
baby!"
Suddenly, the crowd started to part and get riled up. The moment a pair of hands touched the barrier, a strong ripple effect caused them to fall back; Marjorie instead felt it squeeze the breath out of her. "Mewtwo, stop! You're going to be ripped apart!" Dr. Mime shouted from the back, struggling to walk against the force.
For a brief moment, there was a spark of remembrance in Mew's irises, her body tensing up. That loss of concentration was the opportunity Mewtwo had to throw his arms around her and hold her tight, allowing the Mismagius to wriggle herself free and scramble out of her reach. In that moment, it was as though the feline returned to normal, but she immediately began to fight him off.
"I'm not finished with her!" she yelled, the aura sparking back up. "Let
go of me!"
He covered her eyes, his own blue aura powering up as he stumbled backward. She growled and kicked, freeing a paw to claw into his open wounds. Then steadily, she started to glow the same color, and she screamed and thrashed about. She appeared to be losing control of herself as much as she fought against it, her body spasming so much Mewtwo's hold was slipping, but he got rougher in restraining her. There were moments the aura flashed white that would subdue her until she resumed her struggles, though she was slowing down.
"I won't forgive her!" Mew then gasped out when her cries subsided. Marjorie's heart leapt in her throat from the comment. "I won't forgive her for what she did! She lied to me!"
She felt eyes land on her, but she dismissed them to watch as her friend passed out in her mate's arms. Cautiously, Mewtwo slumped in exhaustion, his face contorted in anguish. He kept his eyes averted from the crowd as he began his gait toward the path, trailing drops of blood with every step. Feeling drained herself, Marjorie couldn't find the right emotions or words as she watched him leave. She felt Wigs carefully wrap her in a hug, then was passed off to Dr. Mime when he stepped up to her side where the pain distracted her.
"I need to disinfect that gash," he said, his voice low, "and the rim will need to be straightened back out. I'll take you to the clinic."
"No," she breathed out, even though she sharply inhaled. "You go treat Mew. Basil is there anyway... she can take care of me..."
"Marjorie," Wigs murmured beside her.
She managed a small smile to convince her until she caught the gaze of Missy. Her daughter stared wide-eyed and pallid up at her, her form shivering. She looked worse off compared to the other children all of whom were either confused or too shocked to show any other emotion. Her bottom lip quivering, Marjorie turned back to her friend, who still had the Igglybuff in the crook of her arm, and gave a small nod. Wigs looked over to hand him over to the eldest child, muttered something to him that she couldn't pick up, then allowed her to lean against her.
Dr. Mime let out a quiet sigh, but gave a nod of approval as he hurried over to Mewtwo before they disappeared into the woods. Ducking her head, the specter bit back a sob, raising a tassel to find it had been shredded. Glancing over to where Mew had pinned her down, all she could think of was how surreal it was to have a near-perfect impression of herself left smack in the center of dead grass.
*~*~*
Despite his injuries, Mewtwo carefully tidied up the kitchen one step at a time. Dr. Mime had told him to sit and rest until he was done with Mew, but he didn't feel like doing nothing while he could still stand. He had a headache from earlier that prevented him from multitasking, so he settled with doing it all by hand, which gave him thinking room. Regret and disgrace flooded his mind more-so than that morning, blaming himself for not taking it seriously. He should have seen her outburst happen hours or even days beforehand, he just did not expect her to take it out on Marjorie.
...no, he should have, but Mew only blamed him and not her. If she had just taken all her anger out on him, even if it killed him, then perhaps she would not have gotten others involved. He remembered how honest the specter was the night she confessed her mistake, and willingly gave up her egg to them. There was no doubt in his mind she'd feel guilty about the news and have been the next-best comforter, or at least someone to empathize with. After what happened, he wondered if their friendship was repairable, or even their reputation in the community.
He had just swept the broken plates into a pile when there was a knock on the front door, causing him to slightly jolt. Shaking his head from the silly reaction, he set the broom aside and went to answer fast as he could. Upon opening it, he sighed out, "
Sorry to keep you waiting," then trailed off at the sight of Fearow.
The avian's already-concerned expression dissolved into more worry as he scanned him. "Arceus, I heard it was bad, but you look
awful."
Mewtwo did not want to deal with visitors, but he had to feel grateful someone came to check up on him. "
Did you come on your own terms?" he couldn't help asking.
"Yeah, pretty much." He scratched a little at his head, shedding a few feathers. "I came by not too long ago, but neither you or Mew seemed to be home, so I went ahead with my business elsewhere until I caught wind of something unbelievable." Fearow craned his neck to try and look inside. "Mew's home, right? How is she?"
"
The doctor is examining her right now."
The bird stepped back a bit, a deep crease in his brows. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Is she going to be okay?"
Mewtwo glanced away, slowly clenching and opening his right hand to feel the muscles in his forearm, and a dull ache in his shoulder. "
She should be... but after what happened, I am a bit skeptical."
Fearow nodded solemnly, then held out an envelope he had concealed in his wing. "Well... this was what I came to drop off. I should've brought a consolation basket or something, since I feel this is making me out to be a bit of a... what's the word..."
The clone stared down at the item, focusing on the gold seal stamp with a familiar sigma. He immediately knew what it was, and it felt like it couldn't have come at a worse time. Clenching his teeth for a moment, he accepted it, dropping his hand at his side. "
Thank you, Fearow," he whispered. "
I appreciate it."
Broken out of his thoughts, the avian gave another nod. "Give Mew my condolences, and I wish you both a speedy recovery." Hesitantly, Fearow turned his back, keeping their gazes locked before flying off.
Mewtwo watched him disappear into the sky before closing the door and leaning on it. He glanced down at the invitation for a moment before he dropped it on the nearest tabletop, not wanting to deal with it. He contemplated returning to the kitchen when Dr. Mime stepped out of the study. Heart leaping into his throat, he moved to meet him halfway.
"
How is she?" he ended up gasping out, then swallowed. "
Is Mew going to be all right?"
He was given a brief look that he interpreted as "You're supposed to be resting," then he was shooed back into the living room as his expression softened. "Despite the injuries you sustained, you sure didn't hold back," he said, his tone sounding worn. "She's knocked out cold, so there was only so much I could do, but she should be fine. I will need to examine her again when she wakes up
hopefully today."
Mewtwo let out a sigh of half-relief, half-melancholy as he collapsed onto the couch. Gingerly, he raised a hand to his temple. "
I underestimated her... I should not have left her alone."
"It's not your fault, Mewtwo. I'll take the blame for not catching the signs."
"
No, it is my fault. I knew for years she was not well, and I did nothing." He frowned up at the ceiling, the past hour of Mew's anger and her attacks flashing through his mind. "
I made it worse by lying to keep her happy."
There was a small thump of a chair being set down, and the clone glimpsed over to watch Dr. Mime sit. Even though he stared at him, he appeared to be in thought, carefully pulling off the pair of gloves he had on (as his hands were peeling from the burns) and draping them over a knee. Mewtwo wasn't sure if he should break eye-contact to wait for him to speak, his stomach churning in discomfort.
"Have you ever heard of postpartum depression?" he at last inquired without moving.
Realizing his stance had tensed, the clone steadily relaxed himself. "
I know of it in passing," he replied. "
It is a condition that affects mothers after pregnancy as the result of hormones stabilizing, leaving them moody and stressed. It is akin to clinical depression."
Mime slowly nodded. "Basically. Do you know how long it can last?"
"
It varies."
"Anywhere from a few weeks to several years."
Mewtwo felt like he was punched in the gut despite wondering why it stuck out to him. "
Years?"
"Well, it
is depression, though I consider it a trauma as well." He gave a knowing shrug as he slouched to rest his elbows on his knees.
Even though he understood what was going on, he felt Mime was dancing around the subject as something wasn't adding up. Why bring up a disorder that was irrelevant to Mew's condition? Wincing from when he sat forward, the clone's stare hardened.
"
What does this have to do with anything? Mew is not pregnant."
A silly thought popped into his mind of what if she happened to actually
be pregnant
, and it began to frighten him. When the doctor shook his head, his chest loosened up. "She's not, but she developed an emotional connection. Even postpartum can happen to a mother who miscarries, and those who believed they were pregnant but never were."
He was having a hard time believing it until he thought it over. In the short time they had the egg, Mew had never been happier, albeit obsessive. Not a day went by where she didn't show her love for it, but she doted on it probably more than needed. It would have been wrong to have told her to not love the egg, yet he wondered if he should've brought it up. While he was happy for her, Mewtwo steadily became lonely—he just did not want to feel he was selfish in asking for a little attention.
Thinking about her longer, his neglect was nothing compared to what she went through. If she indeed was mentally ill prior to them being mates—and evidence suggested it—it was inevitable she would develop it, even
if she had gotten pregnant. Depression can easily flare up again if not carefully monitored, and she had suffered from it for years. How was it, then, that she was at her happiest? It wasn't adding up.
Looking back at the Mr. Mime, he took a breath before asking, "
It is treatable, I take it?"
The doctor nodded, giving him a sense of relief. "It's the exact same treatment for depression as long as cooperation is good. I will be able to treat the both of you for as long as it takes."
Mewtwo frowned. "
There is no need to treat me, doctor."
Mime briefly scanned him. "The symptoms Mew has are readable with you, though you have a mild case."
He gaped in puzzlement, his brows knitting. "
But only mothers get it."
"So can the father. It's fairly uncommon, though it does happen." And at once, it was like a bag of bricks made contact with his chest. Mewtwo felt like kicking himself for not realizing the obvious. "As you are Psychic, there is no doubt that you have felt it all, or adopted it subconsciously into your behavior."
The clone dropped his head into his hands, ignoring the stings. There was no denying the possibility the strong link between him and Mew allowed him to share her emotions. He hadn't thought on it, always believing he was happy for her
being happy. But now as he dwelled on them, slow realization came to him that added a layer of horror to it.
What if he never was?
When he was alone, he would question the variety of emotions living beings could feel. The clones appeared to have had a wide range of emotions, though the only ones he could truly empathize with were anger and confusion. He had felt peace, perhaps even satisfaction, but only when he was left to his thoughts. Before he met Mew, he had studied human interaction, as well as how Pokémon (wild and tamed) socialized. And after she became his friend, he had noticed a slow change in his behavior the more they grew closer. And that night... their first night together, he had acted on his own. Everything he did, even though she said it was instinctual, was all him.
...wasn't it?
No... that has to be a lie. I am able to have emotion, I can think and feel for myself. Being happy because Mew is happy does not necessarily mean I felt her happiness. I like it when she is happy. I want her to be happy because I love her. I love her!
He immediately shook his head when his chest ached from a spreading emptiness. For some odd reason, thinking about love left a palpitating sensation he couldn't grasp. Even the word
itself triggered some uncomfortable shockwaves.
Dr. Mime's voice broke through, "Do you feel Mew's emotions often?"
He slowly nodded, then lifted his eyes from his shaky hands. "
But I swear, Dr. Mime, I am fine."
His gaze softened. "Even if you are, Mewtwo, I still highly recommend you get the same treatment as your mate. Clinical depression isn't something to take lightly. Mew was already emotionally-disturbed prior to losing the egg. It is a wonder she didn't break sooner."
Grasping the gloves, Mime then stood up, continuing to keep eye-contact. "I wish you two had acted upon giving her treatment." Mewtwo dropped his eyes out of shame. "Even if she didn't show signs of it up until now, her trauma was left to fester. I dare say it's nigh impossible to give her therapy at this point, but we can try as long as it takes."
Unable to bring himself to speak, the clone just nodded in agreement. The pat on his uninjured shoulder was welcomed, but it didn't give him the comfort he wanted. To him, it was on par with Fearow wishing him and Mew recovery.
"If I had known about this when you made the appointment, or even better
beforehand, I would have stopped you two from trying to have children for a period of time." Mewtwo whole-heartedly agreed, even though it added on to his guilt. "We'll do all we can for you and Mew, but I will be honest with you that she may not recover, at least not fully."
He raised his head up, feeling his jaw drop. The serious look in the doctor's eye was the answer before he could give his doubting response. His body trembled from the icy wave in his heart, threatening to crack it further. Mime pulled back, and added, "Though I should not have to tell you this, as of today you two need to be abstinent until the both of you are mentally fit. If Mew were to get pregnant while in this state, she'll go mad for the rest of her life—possibly even you."
Mewtwo had to swallow down sudden nausea once the memory of the previous night entered his thoughts once more. As much as he knew it wouldn't be possible, if at all, he was suddenly afraid. He just
had to jump the gun in a selfish act to keep her in ignorant bliss. He had done what he was asked in distracting her for the day, so why couldn't he have kept it that way and turned in for the night once they got home? Did all he really want—after everything that went wrong that day—was to have sex with her, his mate for life? Even when he
acknowledged it wasn't the right thing to do?
There was no doubt Mew was correct.
It wasn't until he let out a sob did he realize Dr. Mime had left. He reached up to cover an eye from where a single tear dripped down his cheek, and clenched his teeth in vain attempt to silence himself.
Well, I guess an angry Mew sounds pretty scary... *Imagines pink, fuzzy cat causing large and dangerous explosions*
