AN- An early Christmas present for my friend. :3

Got em! Alfred cheered happily, running over and collecting the dropped pokeball. You guys did great, he said, tossing the pokeball into the large green mesh backpack he was wearing. It was a tough battle, but we made it, didn t we? He chuckled to himself as his Braviary cuffed him lightly with her wing as if to say don t be an idiot, that was easy. Alfred grinned sheepishly, Okay, well, it wasn t that hard, but still. I bet Arthur s gonna love this guy. He was a little hard to find, but of course no match for my heroic might. I mean, how often do you see wild Garchomp? Not very often, you know. The Braviary just stared at him. Right, you re right, I should get back to Arthur. I mean, it s a nice day and everything but... The blonde blushed slightly, It s Arthur. Alfred cleared his throat and put his hand on the Braviary s head. Anyway... Let s get back. You ready?

The bird dipped its head in affirmation, so Alfred climbed on. The avian needed no prompting for as soon as the man was on safely, the bird took off into the sky, flying straight towards the laboratory where Arthur awaited their return.

Alfred tapped his foot impatiently as he waited to be cleared by security and go into the lab. For some reason, the place where he worked was always very strict about their security. He d always assumed that it was because the researchers didn t want anyone else to steal their work, but he never knew for sure. He d also wondered what they used the pokemon for, but whenever he asked Arthur, the man would always tell him that was classified. He knew it couldn t be anything bad, because Alfred knew Arthur would never do anything like that. He just wasn t that kind of man.

Hey Artie! Alfred called as he walked into the man s office. Most of the space was taken up by a large desk, piled upon by papers and a computer where Arthur was typing away diligently. The walls were a dull off-white color and there were no posters or any decorations on them. I brought the pokemon you asked for! It was pretty hard finding them, but I managed it.

Arthur sighed, stopped typing and pushed the keyboard away from him, and then turned around to face Alfred. Hello there Alfred. I thank you for bringing the shipment but do you really need to come to my office every time? I mean, you really just drop the pokeballs off outside...

Of course I do! Dude, without me, you d get lonely. And that d suck. So I have to visit you, explained Alfred. His watch beeped a second later, causing Alfred to check the time. His blue eyes widened comically. I gotta go dude, but next time I ll stay longer. Bye!

Arthur watched as the door closed behind the energetic blonde, Bye... he murmured in reply, sighing deeply once the door closed. Alfred... You re so innocent and cheerful. His gaze fell on the door across the one from which Alfred had entered from, the door to his lab. And that s why you can never see what s in there... What we re doing here is not the humane experiment you think it is.

Every time Alfred visited, he would always ask about how he was doing, how his experiments were going and how his day was. And every time Arthur would answer truthfully to the first and last question, but for the second he would put on his fake smile to hide the guilt he felt for lying to Alfred. And every time the blonde visited, the guilt got worse and worse. For every time he visited Arthur could feel himself falling deeper in love with Alfred. And nothing he did could stop that feeling.

"Hey Arthur?" Alfred asked hesitantly, using the scientist's full name for once.

"What is it?" Arthur snapped back. It wasn't like the blonde to be so cautious.

"Well, as I was going towards our office I heard people whispering. Something about a new breakthrough? And I've heard a few rumors about this place on the mainland. Mentions of mew and cloning... Also a lot of bad mouthing of the scientists" Alfred explained, looking down at his hands. Arthur froze. He should have just told his friend the truth... Hearing it from rumors would be so much more hurtful. As Arthur opened his mouth to explain, Alfred looked back up and caught Arthur's eyes. "But I don't believe them. I trust you, Arthur. You wouldn't lie to me about something as important as this. Would you?"

Arthur knew this was the time to tell Alfred the truth. But his mouth was traitorous and didn't do as he wanted, "No. The rumors are false."

Every time Alfred visited after that, Arthur felt as if he were crumbling. There were more and more rumors, and they were getting rather close to the truth, but Alfred never believed them. He d actually try to fight the rumors. Alfred... The scientist interrupted the blonde s speech about how his day was.

What is it?

There s something I need to show you. Arthur swallowed nervously, getting up from his seat and walking towards the door to his lab. What I m working on.

He opened the door slowly, biting his lip nervously as it creaked open. He stepped in and flicked on the lights. He stepped to the side to let Alfred enter, keeping his eyes on the man's face. "Please..." Arthur said softy, leaving the sentence open ended. Please don't be mad. Please forgive me. Please don't leave me.

Alfred's normally expressive face was completely blank as he looked around the lab. As he looked around the many tubular apparatuses, most containing pokemon in tubes of fluid and with wires attached to them, monitoring them. He walked over to a cabinet that read 'Gene Samples A-Z' and softly said, "How do they get the samples from the pokemon?"

Arthur answered honestly, "We used to take samples from their saliva, but it didn't work as well for some reason... Apparently there are enzymes in it that would change the quality of the sample." He took a deep breath, "It's much easier to use blood."

"And what are you attempting to do here?"

"The Mew II project. We're trying to create a mew. We re using the genes of other pokemon and trying to find the one that will match the gaps in the DNA we received from a fossilized mew.

"I see." Alfred was still staring at the cabinet. "You gonna call security on me now that I know this? I guess this'll be the last thing I ever see." Alfred's chuckled humorlessly,

"No! I would never do something like that!" Arthur said, horrified.

"Well I'm not so sure anymore." Alfred looked at the scientist coldly. "I'm leaving."

"Alfred, wait!" Arthur ran over to Alfred and put his hand on the blonde's shoulder to hold him back.

Alfred shrugged it off and glared at Arthur coldly. "Don't touch me. I'm leaving, don't try to stop me." The blonde turned and walked out of the lab, slamming the door behind him.

Arthur was left staring at the door, "Alfred..."

Arthur threw himself into his work after that. He didn t want to think about Alfred, and their last interaction. He d ended up falling for the man after all those little talks after work. And now that everything was revealed, he d lost what was really the only light in his life. Now it was only work, work, work. No break from the monotony and mind-numbing testing process. And that was how he wanted it to be. No time to think about Alfred.

Alfred went back to his home, and just stayed in the area for a while. No more going out and exploring to catch rare pokemon, just staying at home on the wind farm in order to stay away from anything that would remind him of him. But rumors even reached the far out country. Mewtwo, they murmured. Cloning and an island they told him. Alfred ignored everything he heard. He would just go out to the fields and watch the windmills turn, maybe even see a drifloon if he was lucky. He was done with Arthur. But why did he keep thinking about him?

Alfred!

The blonde was out lying in the fields, watching herds of Skiploom, Hopip and Jumpluff float by when he heard someone call out his name. He sat up suddenly, the hopip that had been taking a rest on his head falling off and floating away. Huh? What? He looked around, but saw no one. Who?

Alfred! I m over here! Turn around. Alfred turned to see his brother Mathew standing there, eyes wide and holding out a newspaper to Alfred. Look at this! Apparently, there was this huge explosion on an island off the coast, and there s been sighting of a huge pokemon appearing! Team Rocket s already been seen in the area, so even though the island has this residential area, everyone s being evacuated.

An explosion on an island? Alfred jerked the newspaper away from Mathew. He scanned it quickly, his eyes widening. Picture of smoke coming from the north of the island... That s where the lab was... Alfred dropped the paper, shocked. Arthur...

Don t you think it s interesting? Mathew said, picking up the newspaper. Weren t you working in that region or something?

It s not interesting. Alfred glared at his brother, and then turned and ran back to the house, Tell mom I m leaving. I ll be back in a few days!

Alfred? Where are you going? Mathew called out, but there was no response. Alfred?

You got this, Alfred whispered to his Braviary as they flew threw a storm. He clung on tightly to the bird s neck so as not to get thrown off. Arthur... I hope you re alright.

They finally landed on where the usually stopped for a security check. That entrance had been destroyed, though it looked like some of the debris had been cleared away. Come on out, Lucario! Alfred threw the pokeball, I need your help to save Arthur. Can you help me get in?

The pokemon nodded, and then both he and Alfred went to work clearing the door. They removed all the debris that was blocking it, and soon the actual door was revealed. He tried to open it, but it was jammed. Lucario, he said, moving back from the door, Aura sphere. Alfred ran in the now open doorway, and immediately wrinkled his nose from the smell. What s burning? He looked around the area, only to see burned corpses. No... No! He said, getting hysterical, Arthur! Arthur where are you?! Please... Please be alright.

The blonde ran through the ruins of the lab, looking for where Arthur worked. He stepped through the burnt doorway- the door was completely gone- and entered into a completely scorched room. No... Alfred couldn t stop the tears coming from his eyes, Arthur... No. you can t die! Hero s don t let people die! He hit the desk angrily only to have it crumble from the force. A half burnt photo fell out from one of the cabinets in the desk. Alfred picked it up, only to have it crumble away. He d seen what it was though. A picture of him and Arthur together and smiling. Arthur... I wanted to be your hero. He whispered, sinking to his knees. I m so sorry. He began crying harshly, his head between his knees. I m so sorry.

Hmm? Alfred heard a scratching noise, so he looked up. It was probably either Lucario or Braviary coming to look for him. He d been in Arthur s office just sitting there and no longer crying, for over an hour now. He looked around, hearing the noise again. It was coming from the lab door, bent from the explosion but still in place. Alfred stood up and pried it open to see an Umbreon covered in grime and mud. What are you doing here?

The pokemon bit Alfred s leg and walked forward only to look back at Alfred expectantly. I m coming... Alfred said, wiping the tear tracks off of his face and following the Umbreon. He followed it into the lab, then to a doorway. Alfred entered and gasped.

The Umbreon was pacing around a large energy shield being held up by a bedraggled looking Espeon. Behind that shield lay Arthur, soot stained but otherwise unharmed. Arthur! Alfred ran forward to go to the man, but then hit the shield. Please... Please let me in? I can help him! The Espeon looked into Alfred s eyes and nodded slightly. The energy shield dropped, and the Espeon collapsed from the strain. Both the Umbreon and Alfred ran forward, each to help their respective partner. Alfred grasped Arthur s shoulders and checked over the man for injuries. I m so glad you re alive, the blonde murmured, pulling the fainted, yet still breathing, body of Arthur to him. So, so glad you re alive.

A-Alfred? Arthur said weakly, his green eyes fluttering open. You... Came back.

Of course I did, said Alfred, I m the hero- no, I m your hero. And I ll always come back to save the one I love. He smiled softly, and then leaned in and kissed Arthur softly on the forehead. I m glad you re alright. Now let s get out of here.