WHAT THE HECK IS UP, PEEPS?! I'M ALIVE! I'M HERE! I'M BREATHING!
Gosh, I am such a lazy butt. I truly apologize for my sad, sad, four year absence from this site - I honestly did not plan it in the slightest. But you never know when a four-year-long writer's block is going to smash your face through your laptop and say, "SUCKS FOR YOU!"
Anyway, after a long time , this is my comeback. Forgive me if it's not up to par with some of my previous work; I am still trying to shake off the rust in my literary department, so bear with me if you think it sucks. I'll get better, I promise!
Without further ado, I'd like to present this newly refurbished, beautiful story I like to call Revolution. I know it's been forever since it was uploaded, but hey, if I had updated it back then, the story would be nowhere near the caliber it is now. I've enhanced this baby with a thick and emotional plot, greater character development and a whole truckload of FEELS. I hope you guys cry as we progress through this. I know I have, over and over again.
Let me take a moment now to speak directly to the girl who helped me through this: CinnimonToastKatie, I salute you. I admire you. I appreciate all that you've done for me in pokes and messages to push me to finishing this thing. I apologize wholeheartedly for the time I made you wait for this update. But know this: Revolution is dedicated entirely to you, girlie.
I just hope it's worth the wait.
Please, feel free to leave me some feedback. I would really love to see some thoughts on the story or even some suggestions. I need to get back in the groove, but after my recent writing binge, I think I'll be just fine. Pardon any errors, as usual.
:) Enjoy!
- S. A. Morley
It comes as no surprise that you never truly appreciate what you have until it is taken from you.
Regrettably, as mortal beings, we take virtually everything for granted, from the air we breathe, the bodies we possess, the thoughts we create, and even the splendor of colors we perceive. Until the inevitable day when our fortunes are ripped from our grasps, we live placidly amidst the things we forget, never knowing how empty our lives could potentially be without them.
And when we eventually find ourselves robbed, empty, and without hope, we begin to question the cruel world around us, challenging its merits with hatred and cursing those who stripped us bare...
Despite everything I have been given, I am no exception to this sad reality, and have come to learn this principle through trials I never dreamed of enduring. But of the many things in my own life I take for granted - my powers, my soul, my mind - I never knew just how much of myself I could lose until The Storm hit.
I can scarce forget that night, and even more so those that succeeded it. Now that I think on it, that night set in motion the chain of events that brought the entirety of Johto - perhaps, even the world - to its knees. Writhing from the chaos, pain and fear, there the world begged endlessly for mercy, pleading to be liberated of the voracious poison destroying it from within. By the time I found myself crumbling beneath the might of the plague, the demises of Johto, its people, and even my own body loomed, nigh and harrowing, on the horizon.
But "harrowing"doesn't even begin to describe the sheer terror of impending events… and just how powerless we were against them.
Ahh, but perhaps I am getting ahead of myself? Old habits, I should say.
I suppose I should simply begin on that fated night, when an old demon crawled, thirsty for havoc, from its dark, vile hole.
Just under a month ago, on a chilly November evening, a massive bank of unusual clouds drifted in from the west. The bustle of the city's nightlife halted in an instant as everyone (myself included) paused to marvel at them. They were unlike anything we had ever seen - a jet-black, swirling mass sprawling the entire horizon, brewing something… unnatural within their depths. The city was at that moment anticipating the first winter storm of the season, but we had never expected anything remotely close to what we were witnessing. Only lurking over the bay for an hour or two, our curious arrival gradually crept toward the city till it swallowed the skyscrapers, blotting out the late autumn moon and flooding the streets with ghastly fog.
A silence, unholy and yet somehow, addled, descended upon us as we watched the skies, awaiting our judgement. What did these clouds have in store for us? What groused and grumbled inside them? Were we to brace ourselves? Simply shrug off another cloud formation? Or bid goodbye to one season and welcome in another? None of us knew. The truth of the matter was, we had only a few fleeting moments to contemplate what we were to do.
Alas, we never stood a chance against the forthcoming bombardment, and before we could stop to think, the clouds violently rent themselves, unleashing their legions of raging gales upon us.
With hurricane-like power they stampeded the streetlamps into the sidewalks, churned the bay waters till they boiled and seethed, and in their fury, swept up anything unfortunate enough to stand in their way. Haunting, pained wails howled between the buildings, their voices shattering window panes to pieces, tripping car alarms into a symphony, bending the trees till their trunks cried out and snapped. The elemental onslaught was so vicious, it triggered a citywide blackout, plunging every corner, alley and window into complete darkness.
And in that darkness, we watched the skies with dread, trembling as The Storm mutated from a zephyrous barrage into a suffocating maelstrom in a matter of minutes. The clouds heaved sickeningly overhead, twisting and melding over and into themselves - many claimed to have seen an enormous shadow darting between the cloud layers, seemingly fueling The Storm. Even I thought I had glimpsed something weave madly overhead; perhaps a long, slender neck, and a tail whipping the gusts? It had only appeared for a second before our attentions were yanked from the clouds' mysterious apparition by the wretched wind.
At the pinnacle of its performance, the wind shrieked as if in agony, plummeting the temperature below twenty degrees with effortless might. The city itself gave a collective shudder as a wave of bitter cold slithered its way down main street, dragging frost in its wake. Over the course of thirty minutes, every conceivable surface had become overrun with delicate ice crystals; yet even in the heavy shadows, the city managed to gleam faintly because of them.
Seemingly endless hours of frozen torture plodded by before, miraculously, The Storm calmed itself into an apprehensive lull. The sky seemed to sigh as the city held its breath, still watching the clouds through frosted windows, each mind wondering if our trial had ended. However, The Storm's finale was yet to rear its ugly head.
Astonishingly enough, it began with a gentle overture of falling snowflakes, harmonizing in duet with the somber tolls of the clock tower. But with each peal of the bell, the snowflakes tripled in number, the wind intensifying twofold, as though the bells agitated the temporarily pacified weather. Ultimately, by the time the twelfth bell chimed, the combination of the amassing snowflakes and the skyrocketing gales birthed a berserk, ravenous mutant of a blizzard.
Untameable and tyrannical, the blizzard desolated the city and its people cowering beneath it, hoping and waiting in vain for a chance to breathe. But we were not so lucky; from midnight till dawn, we were pummeled senseless beneath car-crushing, pavement-cracking tons of cruel, unforgiving snow.
Finally, the blizzard settled. An anemic sunrise broke above the ravaged city skyline, rousing us all from a fitful night's sleep. I still remember waking to the stupefied shouts of the Train Station staff that morning. Upon seeing the imposing twelve foot pile of snow heaped onto their tracks, they destroyed the post-storm silence with their hysterics, nearly waking the entire populace before dawn had the chance. I listened to them from my shelter beneath the tracks as they worked for the duration of the morning, smiling, chuckling ever so slightly at their reactions. From what I could hear from the clock tower, it took them at least two hours to disentomb the railway, and even longer still in waiting before the power was reactivated to resume train operations.
Unsurprisingly, the remainder of the city had not fared as well, either. A towering veil of glittering, pearlescent snow smothered the ground as far as the eye could see, utterly burying small buildings and slumping whatever trees still remained standing. Despite relief from its monstrous intruders, the sky still visibly sagged from a lingering overcast of sickly grey clouds. Beams of sallow sunlight reflected off the snow in such a way that all of its shadows were practically nonexistent, giving the illusion that everything had been submerged in a frigid, white void.
As we assessed the spoils of our first winter storm, many could not resist casting their eyes toward the heavens in search of something most dismissed as fallacy. I found myself drawn to the sky in my fascination as well, straining to glimpse that quick darting darkness... But the enigmatic shadow had all but vanished, making us wonder if it had been real, or an illusion from The Storm.
We had to face reality sooner or later. Despite The Storm's crippling embrace, life continued, and we adapted. A squadron of snowplows were soon released onto the streets, where they instigated a loud chorus of citywide scraping as they cleared away the mountainous snow from block to block. Tight snow corridors established themselves all throughout the city, the floes creating hedge-like walls surrounding the trodden pathways. A group of children built several snow-Pokémon in the park, their craftsmanship absolutely adorable: a lumpy snow-Sentret, along with a sagging snow-Quagsire greeted passersby, and behind them, a snow-Metapod peeked shyly between the trees. They still stand to this day.
For a brief moment, it looked as though the city and its people would survive, albeit both were battered. Fortunately for us, we only received light, tolerable snowfall in the subsequent weeks, but as the days dragged on, the snow eventually became the very least of our problems.
The wintry conditions spiraled in a dizzying decay till the city became nearly unrecognizable. Stubborn sheets of black ice - frustratingly adamant against salt - corrupted the streets and sidewalks, sending unsuspecting victims either into fender-benders or flat on their backs. We choked on car exhaust and the bitter, eternal cold saturating the air. The cold sucked every wisp of warmth from your body in a heart-stopping second, penetrating your clothes with its icy fingers, gleefully freezing your blood where it ran. I found no solace from the cold during my travels - my fur was simply too short and too thin to sustain warmth of any sort, and I often found myself shuddering without control every minute of every day.
Car accidents dotted each corner, the gutters ran black with filthy water, thick smog hung low over main street… It was a miserable sight. The world had paled from a vibrant autumn to a grey, blanched wasteland, where few dared brave the elements and fewer still hoped for something more with each passing day. We felt trapped, grasping for freedom, yet held hostage within the iron chokehold of a merciless winter.
To think that they call this place Goldenrod. So much for the "bustling, brilliant city…"
I often contemplated why I had come here, and subsequently chosen to stay - more so now than ever with the freakish weather. Though similar in dozens of ways to the other cities I had visited over the last four months, Goldenrod had something the rest did not.
To begin with, it had a massive bay, an impressive transit system, and the radio broadcasting headquarters for all of Johto. It was positively enormous, the city's boundaries far wider than any place I had ever set foot into. From what I have observed, the people here were exceedingly friendly, hardworking, and came and went as they pleased between their home's various landmarks. They joyed in their families, their lives, their news, and their city, tending to it and its wonderful gardens and parks lovingly. Out of all of my previous destinations in my wanderings, I have stayed here the longest: eleven weeks total, and counting. I was not going to leave until absolutely necessary, to my health or otherwise.
Goldenrod City was unique, and it intrigued me.
But due to the fact that a creature such as I would be received as… unnatural amongst humankind, I resorted to a covert lifestyle during my stay in Goldenrod. Between drifting across rooftops and sneaking through alleyways, I traveled rather easily, by moonlight only, from place to place, never staying in one area for more than a few days. The city being the size that it was, every night posed a new adventure, a new challenge, and I seized them avidly. True, I still hold uneasy feelings toward humans, but the way they had created this secret-filled, bustling metropolis brought out my intense curiosity, staving my apprehension. The people of Goldenrod City were fascinating in all respects, and I explored their home - my home - with the constitution of a lovestruck fanatic. I loved living here, in spite of the crushing cold.
And so this tale finds me, freezing, sitting alone atop a stout apartment building in downtown Goldenrod. My nose had been running like a faucet for five days straight. I was stiff, hungry and tired. Curled up into a tight ball next to a puffing chimney, I shivered rather violently in the subzero night, lost in thought in the diaphanous mist clinging to the skyline. My eyes, foggy and dry, stung as I watched my breath spurt out in glowing white clouds before my nose.
It had been a particularly cold day, with the deathly windchill only worsening the unavoidable. The meager heat radiating off of the chimney alleviated some of the evening's bite, but all the same, my teeth still chattered, my fur still stood on end, my vision still vibrating as briskly as it had when I had woken up that morning. These sensations had become a frustrating norm for me ever since The Storm hit, but I had grown to tolerate them slightly.
I traced the labyrinthian streets with my eyes, my mind wandering. It's Thursday. I think. Ambulance sirens had whined throughout the day. As the afternoon waned, I counted the painful sound of buckling metal in around six car accidents all along the eastern thoroughfare (an especially icy part of town), each a cringe-worthy calamity. A minor headache throbbed between my temples, courtesy of the owners of the building I was currently sitting upon. Their radio was cranked up much too loudly - though obnoxious, the droning of the radio announcer's voice was buffered just enough by the walls to muddle her words.
I craned my head, hoping to catch what she was saying, but she was unintelligible. But I detected something in her voice. Panic, worry. Fear, perhaps? It was hard to tell. I blinked. What did it matter to me, anyway? The news was all the same, these days. Weather. Lottery passwords. Cheesy radio dramas. I had heard them all.
With a sigh, I tuned the announcer out, focusing instead on the reverent rush of traffic below. What was I going to do with myself, tonight? Did I want to stay here another night, straining to understand the radio personalities around a loathsome headache? Or did I want to find another forsaken chimney to shiver pathetically next to?
Huh... That had become a tragic habit of mine recently... I will admit to becoming a tad less spontaneous in my nightly engagements, ever since an inexplicable draught of exhaustion consumed me about a week ago. All I wanted to do was sleep, now, constantly weighed down with almost tangible fatigue. A small scowl slashed my face, and I held my shins tighter, contemplating the night's vast variety of options.
Just then my stomach gave a nagging twist, snarling up at me with gusto. I could not help but snort to myself, reaching down to my side to pick up the handful of tiny, colorful apricorns I had picked up in the park. I almost popped them into my mouth without thinking, but as I gazed at them, sitting neatly in the palm of my hand, I paused.
The apricorns were criminally small and withered. They would not satisfy my wrenching hunger, no matter how much I tried to convince myself of it. After all, I had not eaten anything decent in quite some time; I could feel that deprivation in both my shriveled stomach and my thin body. Over the course of the extreme seasonal transition, I had lost an unhealthy amount of my body weight, but day after day ignored the bones protruding through my skin at distressing angles. Instead of consider my personal needs, as I knew I should have done, I chose to explore Goldenrod whenever possible. Rather foolish of me, I now realize.
Suffice to say, I was not taking care of myself.
Grumbling, I set down the apricorns next to my tail, studying my bony knee cap. Worry drove my torrent of thoughts. I suppose I could find something more hearty to eat, tonight. I need it. My gaze traveled up to Goldenrod. But where do I go? I can't just walk into a restaurant as I am. I am not like the people who live here. And I cannot risk any more publicity - not after what occurred at Mt. Quena.
Oh, Mt. Quena… Was that only four months ago? It felt like an eternity… A surge of memories from the showdown I had undertaken against Team Rocket gushed forth, the majority of them disastrous. Above visions of the serene springs, and the trusting eyes of my clones, the cruel, heartless eyes of Giovanni flashed through my mind, igniting my blood voraciously. My hands involuntarily clenched into fists and I bore my teeth - the air around me glowed a hot, intense blue from my emotions, the very molecules crackling aloud.
I hated him. I hated that man. His insatiable greed, his arrogance and his actions were completely unforgivable,andI found myself reflecting back on them from time to time. Even after what had passed, for some reason, I still could not forget all that he had put me through. All of his crippling lies, the damage he had caused to both my home and my companions... How he had used me to realize his twisted aspirations and shoving me beneath his dominion like some sort of slave…
"Giovanni…!" I hissed, spitting out his accursed name with toxic disdain.
But my anger dissipated as I once again reminded myself that he no longer remembered me. I had left Mt. Quena and his memories of me behind in the shadow of the spring, those four months passed. I meant nothing to Giovanni, now. Nothing at all. In the minds of him and his villainous team, I did not exist.
And I intended to keep it that way.
A sigh slowly eased itself from my lungs. With my emotional flare-up, I abruptly grew even more exhausted, slumping over my knees as my racing pulse and the air around me reverted back to normal. I nearly gave up on the idea of treating myself to a proper dinner before another abdominal roar, this time equipped with an uncomfortable spark of pain, re-convinced me on the matter.
Laying a hand on my burning stomach, I shifted where I sat, rethinking my alternatives. I really do need it… I can't go on starving and shivering like this till Spring… I just can't. My mind was set, and my stomach knew it. It growled eagerly. Very well. If I am to eat, then I need some form of cover. Something to avert attention from myself, to make me look human… Something even to keep warm with… But what, exactly?
...A coat?
The idea caressed me like a warm summer breeze, leaving me smiling wistfully at my stroke of genius. It was perfect! A coat was just the thing I needed to both conquer the arctic weather and find myself a suitable meal for the night, and perhaps even into future nights. An ecstatic grin spread across my lips, with new, enlightening energy coursing through me, burning away my exhaustion. For the first time in weeks, a short burst of laughter bubbled up from my throat, and I shot straight to my feet, ready to take on my task. Things were soon to change.
The night was mine! Standing tall and confident above Goldenrod, I vowed I would vanquish the weather that had been whittling my spirit away for almost an entire month with a heaven-sent coat. With this course of action, I could begin taking my due care of myself, recuperating from my own neglect. This was the best idea I had had in a long time. Gazing anxiously across the misty sea of lights stretching before me, I sifted through my memories of town, searching for a nearby clothing store to purchase a coat at -
That was when I noticed the gaping hole in my plan.
My excitement ground to a screeching halt. I had no money. Nothing to purchase a coat with. Trading in a modern city like Goldenrod was unheard of. An archaic practice, even. If you wanted something, you had to pay for it, no matter the cost. And just what human would sell a coat to a Pokémon without a trainer?! I would sooner be pelted into submission with Poké Balls. Ugh! Perish the thought!
Shuddering in the bracing wind, my fervor deflated till it left me slouched over, staring hopelessly over the city. A future of health, warmth, and improved travel taunted me: a freezing, penniless outcast, a starving onlooker, a freak without friends. Wonderful. For a moment I breezed over the thought of stealing a coat for myself, but immediately rejected it for practical thinking. I was not a thief, and yet, the thought of being warm for a change still beckoned me into committing such an act.
As tempting as the offer was to my shivering spine, I pushed it aside, casting my eyes to the pitiful pile of apricorns by my foot. Defeated by my own reasoning, I willed them up into my hand with a flick of a thought. Bright, luminescent blue light radiated from the tiny fruits, sending them gently skyward and into my palm.
Sighing, I conceded to my hunger. Well… an apricorn is better than nothing...
Opening my mouth, I took one up between my fingers, but something caught my eye mid-reach, stopping me. A faint white glow, different from the lights of the city, was advancing toward me from the nearby rooftop. Turning my head, I found it to be a plume of ghostly effulgence curling off of a small Pokémon crawling toward the edge of the roof.
It was an Umbreon; a female, judging by the size of her bushy, fluffy tail. It took me no more than a nanosecond to notice that something was grossly wrong with her: this Umbreon did not have a shiny black coat. Her fur was alabaster-white, shining like the moon, the circular markings on her forehead, ears and remainder of her body glowing deep, deep blue. I ogled at her. She seemed in pain as she trudged, slowly, up to the roof's edge, her head hung low with her ears and tail dragging. The Umbreon appeared to be scrutinizing the distance between the rooftops, her large, pale green eyes barely visible under her sagging eyelids.
I stiffened, amazed by the fantastic sight of this creature. But at the same time, her appearance disturbed me. Why was she glowing? I knew that an Umbreon's markings glowed at night, but the way her entire body gave off light was outright unnatural. No Umbreon as far as I knew had white fur and green eyes. Perhaps she was a "shiny Pokémon" that I had heard rumors of? Turning, I grew curiously concerned as I continued to watch her, lowering my handful of apricorns to my side, waiting to see what she would do.
Stopping at the roof's ledge, she squinted into it, saying dangerously on her feet. If I listened, I distinctly heard her heavy, ragged breathing from where I stood several meters away, which slowly escalated as she shimmied her hind legs to pounce.
She wanted to jump. "Hey! What are you doing?" I shouted, speaking aloud through telekinesis, but she didn't appear to hear me, readying her legs unabated. I quickly judged the distance between the buildings; in order to cross the gap, she would have to leap well over twenty-six feet. And based on her condition, there was no way she could make the jump - the Umbreon would suffer a fatal plummet to the pavement eighteen stories down before she did so. "You can't make that! Stop!"
Despite my warning, she propelled herself forward, and just as I thought, her strength was nowhere near enough to send her across. She only made it about eight feet or so before her momentum slowed. For a split second, a flash of horror stole away her dazed, pained expression, and she flailed her legs in an effort to keep moving. But gravity had other plans. I watched her eyes widen, a gravelly screech ripping from her throat as she rapidly plunged toward the unforgiving alley floor.
!
I had to act fast. Throwing down the apricorns, I sprinted for the edge of the roof, flinging my hand out and focusing my mind on her shimmering white form headed for the ground. "Hold on!" With a brisk flicker of thought, my psychic aura enveloped her body, stopping her descent entirely in its tracks.
That was close… I had grabbed her not a moment too soon - the Umbreon now hovered mere inches away from an unpleasant fate. She froze, noticing her good fortune instantaneously, and went abruptly quiet. Twisting her body around in confusion, she tilted her head up, captivating me with her huge, green eyes.
I read her thoughts: Huh?
"Don't worry. I have you." I gave her a small smile, assuring her I was friendly. "You did want to come to this rooftop, yes?"
She blinked, incredulous. Er… yeah…
Without another word, I brought her up to my position, easing her slowly to safety by my side, and retracting my powers from her. She landed on her feet, stumbling slightly, staring up at me with an odd mixture of awe, fascination, agony, and gratitude splattered across her face. We locked gazes. My heart fluttered slightly when I saw that her pupils were totally white, making me wonder if she was blind.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded, studying my face hastily, taking in my appearance. Yeah. Th-thanks for saving me. Breaking away from my eyes, she looked back at the gap between the buildings, her thoughts dejected. I usually make that…
I tilted my head to the side, raising a brow. "Usually? Why not now? Are you sure you are all right?"
Her ears drooped again as she turned back to face me. I-I'm not feeling so well… I haven't… She suddenly collapsed, face-first, onto the roof, startling me. Before I had the chance to kneel down and help, she broke into a savage, wet coughing fit, each movement jolting her body with frightening convulsions. My pulse quickened in shock - what on earth was ailing this Pokémon?!
Unsure of what to do, I fell to my knees, laying a hand on her back in hopes of steadying her coughing. I then discovered she was even more alarming than I had originally believed. She smelled strongly of burned hair, her skin smoldering beneath my hand with a searing fever. Stranger still, small patches of her odd white coat were missing here and there, blistering burns rimmed with singed fur in their places. She glowed brighter with each cough, whimpering between them in pain. Her pulse flitted faintly through her veins, teetering on failing.
Beneath her rattling coughs, I also heard a second noise. It was a dainty, tinkling sound, metallic in nature. Half-wondering what it was, I gently rolled her onto her side to calm her down, only to find a heart-shaped ID tag from her collar jingling at me. Hm… If you are domesticated, you must have a name, I thought. Upon closer inspection of the tag, I found her name, embossed in elegant letters, to be Ebony.
"Ebony," I issued, softly shaking her shoulder. She jumped slightly at her name, peeling her eyelids aside, peering at me. "What happened to you?"
Her coughing had thankfully subsided, but her breathing was shallow and choppy. Chills ran down my spine at the scorching torture wracking her thoughts, I don't know… I… went to the docks this afternoon... I don't know what's wrong… I was just trying... to get back home…
Something moved inside me from her words, her plight touching a soft spot in my heart. It was a secluded, guarded place, difficult to coerce from the depths of my emotions. I like to call it solicitude.
Though I had just met Ebony, I felt obligated to help her cause. And although I was certain her owner would care for her, I knew that if she could not return home, the poor creature would most likely perish in the harsh winter night. You never need a reason to help someone. Compassion for her had overwhelmed me. I had to help.
With my decision made, I proposed, "Let me take you home. Do you live nearby?"
My statement seemed to catch her off-guard, as though she were surprised anyone would dare try to assist her. The Umbreon's brows rose as high as her ears, her thoughts a jumbled mess of perplexity and foggy memories. It was impossible to discern any of them through the haze of her mind. What are you saying? You'll… take me home? I don't even know your name...
A faint smile curved my lip. "Mewtwo. My name is Mewtwo."
Her expression dimmed as she lost herself in complicated thought. Mewtwo… You look like a Pokémon, but… you talk like a person… Her tail flicked against my forearm. What are you, exactly?
Sighing, I shrugged my shoulders, her question tossing itself about my subdued disquietudes. I shoved it aside as quickly as it sprung. "That is… difficult to say. But it doesn't matter right now. Tell me, Ebony, where do you live?"
She lifted her head up with considerable difficulty, rotating it southward. Down there, at the Pokémenagerie retail store. It's only a few blocks.
"Very well, then. Let's get you home. Do you mind if I carry you there? I doubt you are in any condition to walk." I hesitated before scooping her up in my arms, waiting for her permission with a brow raised.
Ebony seemed touched - I thought I saw tears glistening in her eyes, but it could have just been the light reflecting off of her gleaming white fur. I don't mind at all, Mewtwo. Go ahead.
Taking extra care not to jostle her, I slid my hands beneath the singed fur of her back, lifting her slowly before cradling her in my arms. She was extremely lightweight, but her body still emitted heat at atypical levels from her fever, a fact that still concerned me. At least her coughing had ceased, for the time being. Fitting snugly in my arms, her tense muscles relaxed, a sigh of sweet relief easing out of her lungs.
"Are you ready?"
Yes.
"All right. Hold on." Tiny paws firmed on my shoulder as I lifted us both off of the building and into the air. She took in a sharp gasp, her heart fluttering faster against mine, but as I turned and took off in flight across the sea of rooftops, her heartbeat slowed. The wind started to pick up as we traveled - an onslaught of bitter, piercing knives. I tucked her closer to my chest, trying to shield her from it as much as I could, but the wind was too cunning. We both ended up shivering heavily along the way to Pokémenagerie.
"Tell me when you see it." She responded with a nod.
We flew on in silence for a few minutes until a timid whisper tickled my thoughts, Thank you, Mewtwo... No one has been this kind to me in years...
Again, she struck my solicitude with stunning expertise. How was it she pierced it so easily? It amazed me, but I chose not to dwell on the matter, instead holding her closer when she nestled her head gratefully against my shoulder. Her warmth was pleasant to one suffering the cruel winter weather alone. She brought out an involuntary smile. "I am happy to help."
You'd be the first…
Several snow-covered city blocks drifted past as we soared above Goldenrod, the busy nightlife crowding the brightly-lit streets below. I began to wonder just how far "a few blocks" was as Ebony guided me beyond the restaurants surrounding the Goldenrod Galleria. We eventually drifted further over the park and past the glittering mall before she cried, There!
After directing my attention to a stout, two-story building, I positioned myself above it, beginning my gradual descent. Ebony suddenly stiffened in my arms, anxiously watching the roof grow in size till I set my feet on the snowy surface. I vaguely considered why. Perhaps it was the height?
When I touched down on the rooftop, my feet immediately stung in the ankle-deep snow, sending another shiver up my spine. From what I could tell by first glance, there was a modest apartment above Pokémenagerie itself, which we were currently on top of. The windows were dark, thick silence weighing the air. Nobody appeared to be around.
Crouching, I set Ebony carefully to her feet, where she illuminated the snow rather beautifully with her glowing fur. She shuddered - the snow rising knee-high to her - dismally turning towards a door equipped with a small swinging pet entry near a rusty fire escape. A threadbare pillow cushion sat next to the door, snow heaped atop it, and beside that a pair of food dishes, both snow-filled as well.
"Are you certain this is the right place?" I asked, puzzled by the sight of both the rooftop and the store itself. "I do not think anyone is here…"
Her thoughts dripped with distinct gloom as she slogged painstakingly through the snow toward the door, Yeah, this is it... I figured she wouldn't be home.
"Who?"
Ebony's shoulders slumped. My owner's niece... She took over the store after he died two years ago, but since she's allergic to me, she only runs the store when she absolutely has to. The rest of the time, she never feeds me, she's always out with her boyfriend, and she kicks me out whenever he comes over, like earlier today... She's probably out with him right now.
The little Umbreon gave me a wry smile once she took in my appalled expression. She usually comes home around midnight with him, which gives me plenty of time to get some food and warm up… Her smile turned wicked, her eyes flashing mischievously. ...And maybe I'll rub myself all over her bed. Just for kicks, heh heh heh...
She snickered for a moment to herself, looking back to encourage me to do the same, but my silence surprised her. Her face drew blank. Are you okay, Mewtwo?
Truth be told, her story baffled me. Either because it was terribly sad, or that it reminded me of my own relationship with the world, humans, and Team Rocket, I did not now, but I knew this: I felt extremely sorry for Ebony. We were more alike than I thought, and the reality of that hurt.
Physically saying that I was sorry proved difficult, however, but I managed to form the words. "I'm... sorry, Ebony. I'm sorry your owner died. I'm sorry... you have to live like this. You do not deserve this. Your owner's niece should not be treating you this way."
She gave another shrug. I know… But there's not much I can really do...
"Why not? Have you ever considered leaving?"
She nodded, a resentful shadow tainting her brilliant eyes. Of course, and I've tried, but I'm not an alley Pokémon at heart. No matter how far I walk, I always seem to end up back here. Except for tonight, that is… We were both quiet for a time before she drew me in with her eyes once more. They were sincere, now. Pure. Thank you, again, for saving my life. I really owe you one.
Owe? The word flew over my head; I did not quite understand what she meant. Raising a brow, I asked, "Owe? What does that mean?"
Her face scrunched up at my ignorance. Wha-? You don't…? She paused, her face righting itself due to a glimmer of inspiration. Huh... Okay, I'll tell you what. If you come down into the store with me, I'll teach you what 'owe' means. Maybe we can even get back at my owner's niece along the way... What do you say?
Well, I could not argue with a little payback. That woman needed to be taught a lesson or two about Pokémon treatment, and if I could participate, I would do so wholeheartedly. She deserved it. With new light in my soul, I agreed. "Sounds fine to me. Lead the way."
Ebony smiled, gesturing with her ears toward the door she stood in front of. C'mon. She never locks up up here, so it's a straight shot into the store. Let's get outta this cold.
Crossing the snow bank, I met her at the door, reaching forward to twist the handle as she darted in through the pet entrance. Sure enough, it was unlocked, and I passed through the doorway without hindrance, stepping into a claustrophobic stairwell. Bleak light from the city lit up the place, but once I shut the door behind me, we were swallowed in total darkness. Thankfully, Ebony's peculiar bodily glowing spared us from tumbling down the stairs blindly. She glimmered like a beacon.
I followed her as she pattered down the flight of steps and into the upstairs apartment. The faint silhouettes of a loveseat, the kitchenette, and an old TV distorted the lurking darkness. The air reeked of bad perfume, wine, and the unwashed dishes piled in the sink, but we didn't linger long enough for me to analyze further. Ebony drifted across the linoleum floor and to another stairwell in the corner, with me in pursuit. After scaling the final staircase, we slowed and entered the ground floor.
The unique, ozone-like smell of Mareep wool greeted my nose as soon as I walked in, tingling my sinuses. My heart skipped a beat upon seeing the fantastical sight stretched before me in the dim store. Coats, jackets, windbreakers, and parkas of all sorts simply teemed from the army of spherical clothing racks dotting the sales floor, overflowing from popular demand. Shelves strewn with countless hats, pairs of gloves, boots and scarves clung to each of the walls, some of their contents spilling onto the floor. To make matters even better, hefty discount and sale signs were scattered haphazardly throughout each display, slashing prices dramatically.
Awe-stricken, I stood rooted to my place. Only when Ebony's voice rang through my thoughts did I manage to take a few breaths and regain some of my lucidity. I jerked back to face her, the tiny creature seated on top of the checkout counter, smiling broadly. This is what I meant by 'owe,' Mewtwo. As thanks for saving me and bringing me back here, you get to take whatever you want to keep warm with, completely free of charge. You look like you could use it...
I was dumbfounded. Was she being serious? Her offer was precisely what I had been dreaming of not twenty minutes ago, while freezing to death and frowning into my pathetic collection of apricorns. This smorgasbord, this… gift… it would mean the world to me. It would mean an improvement to my health, a better lifestyle, and glorious salvation from the relentless cold. This offer would change everything for me.
I couldn't help but stutter in my stupefaction. "A-are you serious, Ebony?! I can take anything?! Anything?!"
She laughed - it was hushed and raspy. Why not? She'll never notice anything's missing. Besides, she's greedy. I'd love to see you win her out a few bucks... Go ahead! Not like I care about any of this stuff. It's the least I can do after what you've done for me, tonight.
For a moment I considered my previous issue with theft, but quickly disregarded it; Ebony was giving these to me, so technically, I wasn't stealing. I nearly collapsed with gratitude, stumbling over my own feet as I sprinted forward on a mission. Ebony hollered at me to be careful, and I laughed aloud, responding with, "Don't worry! With this, I will be!"
Hey, knock yourself out! she cried, contentment in her tone. I'll be waiting back here till you're done...
Inexorable delight bubbled up from my shriveled stomach, spawning a giddy grin across my face as I rocketed toward my first stop: the coat racks.
Despite the fact that the store was crammed full with coats, none of them seemed to appeal to me, but I remained persistent. I ended up tearing through several racks to find the long, chestnut-colored trench coat that fit me perfectly. Made from a thick, insulating material, it fell to my shins, had knuckle-reaching sleeves, a pair of deep pockets on the sides, and folded lapels. The coat was comfortable to wear and looked nice on me - I especially enjoyed the fact that it had several large buttons that were easy to affix.
A slight problem arose as soon as I put it on, however. While the coat was practically godsend, tragically, it was not long enough to hide my purple tail. This proved troublesome. If I was to find something to eat in the city later on, then I needed to blend in and draw little attention to myself… but a purple tail would only negate that.
I spent nearly ten minutes frowning into my tail, straining to come up with a way to conceal it, but eventually, I concocted a simple remedy: curl my tail around my torso. Since it was already so thin, it disappeared completely beneath my coat. Perfect.
Off to a good start, I scanned the rest of the store for anything else I needed, immediately heading for the shelves. After scouring through several for quite some time, I finally happened upon a pair of thin, black boots. Tugging them on proved to be another novel experience, just as wearing a coat was, but even more novel were the clumsy steps I took while wearing them. I thought I heard Ebony's laughter from the back of the store as I tromped awkwardly around.
Roomy, but tight enough to keep my feet securely inside them, I claimed the pair as my own, forcing myself to get used to the sensation of wearing shoes. Nevertheless, I disliked the feeling, but seeing as they hid my unnatural skin and protected my aching feet from the ground, my needs overruled my distaste. The other negative to the boots were the laces that were nigh-impossible to tie, but I managed after a few knotted attempts.
To shield my hands from the stinging snow, I picked up a pair of mittens. It was a miracle that they were the right size. Sliding them onto each of my hands, I tucked my fingers inside, an unbridled grin of glee dominating my lips. For some reason, I found the mittens pleasant as the plush material swaddled the dry creases of my hands. Unable to resist duplicating the feeling, I quickly snatched up and tugged a soft, black beanie onto my head to obscure my ears. Its grey elastic band rested atop my brows, hugging my head snugly.
The final areas to cover were my neck and the remainder of my face. To do this, I bound them in a dense, striped grey scarf. I nearly slipped on it on the floor. Wrapping it slowly around my neck, the scarf rested on my nose and below my eyes, enveloping the bottom of my face and the entirety of my neck comfortably. To my surprise, it even covered the protrudent tube connecting the base of my skull to my spine; my nape, as I call it. I had not realized how long the scarf was until I was actually wearing it - even after binding myself entirely, a few feet of the material dangled freely down the lapels of my new coat.
Now suited up for the night, and more nights to come, I stood before a wall mirror, securing the last button before taking in my appearance. None of my fur was visible, save for some on my face; my tail curled away from sight; my nape hidden carefully beneath the scarf; my ears warm and safe within my beanie. The only recognizable attribute regarding the tall, slender figure in the mirror were the pair of exhausted, rich purple eyes peeking between his hat and scarf. Surely, I was nothing more than another freezing city goer racing through town to outside eyes.
Ebony, and Pokémenagerie, had served me well.
Satisfied with my findings, I approached my gracious host at the checkout counter, smiling uncontrollably beneath my scarf. I found her sitting with her back towards me, fiddling around with the cash register drawer. As soon as she heard my footsteps, she jumped back to face me, her brows raising. She looked me up and down. Wow! Pokémenagerie looks good on you, Mewtwo. Did you find everything you needed?
"Indeed, and I cannot thank you enough for what you have given me. With these…" I glanced down at myself. "...my life is going to improve astronomically. Thank you, thank you, Ebony. You have my deepest gratitude."
Her smile was sweet. You are very welcome. I'm happy to help... She then turned back to the register, the movement giving rise to another series of harsh, staccato coughs from her throat. Her body shuddered harshly, sending me spiraling with a brief panic attack.
I rushed for her, worried, raising my hands to help if necessary. "Ebony?!"
Fortunately for us both, the fit was fleeting. Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. My throat just tickled a little bit... She cleared her throat, swallowing. Anyway, I was going to give you a little something else, just to bug my owner's niece, but the register's stuck. With a sly smirk, she flashed me a roguish look. You've got psychic powers… You wanna pry it open, Mewtwo? I'll let you keep whatever you find.
I could get behind this form of stealing. After all, that woman deserved it. I returned Ebony's smirk. "Certainly."
Awesome.
Walking around the counter, I approached the register: a black, rectangular drawer built into the countertop. It was covered in scratches from Ebony's attempts at breaking into it. After studying it, I deduced that it would not be difficult to open, what with my powers. Without hardly thinking about it, I ignited the drawer in a bright blue flame, propping it open with relative ease. Stacks of PokéCredits and piles of coins beckoned up at me - there had to be well over three hundred credits shoved into the drawer.
Once I had cracked it open, Ebony teased, Time to invest in a safe… Ha ha ha ha! We met each other's gazes. Go on, Mewtwo, she urged me. You've earned it.
I raised my hands, but for some reason, found myself hesitating. Not moments ago, I had supported this one hundred percent, but as much as I wanted to help reap karma on Ebony's awful owner, I could not bring myself to take the money. Something about it did not sit right with me.
Dropping my hands to my sides, I rolled them into fists, unable to go through with what she wanted. "I can't."
What? Why? It's right there!
"...I don't know. I just… cannot. I can't explain it..." I knew deep inside that I was not a thief. Perhaps my conscience was getting the better of me? It certainly kept my arms rooted at my sides.
I felt Ebony's critical eye as I stared blankly into the register for several moments. She huffed out a sigh. Well, you don't have to take all of it. Take, like, twenty credits. That won't kill you, will it?
Twenty seemed a reasonable amount. At least it would not be the entire register. "I suppose not, no…"
Then what are you waiting for? C'mon, do it for me... It'll be hilarious when she recounts the drawer tomorrow morning and finds some of it missing!
When she put it that way, I complied, reaching into the well and gingerly slipping out one twenty credit bill. It was crisp and crinkled between my fingers. Folding it in half, I tucked it into my coat pocket, part of me penitent at what I had done, the other part ecstatic with the thought of buying something to eat. The latter part decimated the former, bringing me once again into a state of perpetual excitement for the coming night.
There, that wasn't so bad, was it? Ebony crooned, her smile bright. Now you're all geared up and ready to take on December. It should be interesting, what with that crazy storm and all…
I was about to reply when something else did for me. A long, drawn-out, thunderous rumbling from my stomach rang throughout Pokémenagerie, reminding me of just how famished I was. It lasted for a good seven seconds, but it took only a half second for me to blush and hang my head in embarrassment. Ebony snorted.
"Sorry…" I mused, holding my abdomen through my coat. "I really need to eat something. I'm famished."
Ebony giggled happily, her tired eyes lighting up. I am too, now that you mention it. They've got some killer imported soup at The Dratini Diner just down the road. My owner used to take me there for a big bowl on cold nights like this. She stared longingly out of the display window, perhaps seeing something I could not. We would sit by the window, watching people go by, talking about fashion trends and weird customers. Nostalgia laced her thoughts, whisking her away from the dark store and into the warm embrace of her memories with her owner. He'd even let me sit in the booth across from him…
My mind wandered as well. I slipped my hand into my pocket, fingering the twenty credit bill. Surely it would pay for two meals? Food couldn't have been too expensive. I hated to break her from her trance - she looked to be enjoying it - but I had to qualify my next destination. "What did you say the restaurant's name was?"
She blinked back to reality, mesmerizing me with her eyes once more. The Dratini Diner. It's a cute place over by the bike shop... Can't miss it.
Perfect. With my purpose in mind, I swiveled on the heel of my boot and proceeded for the door. Was it just my imagination, or did a twitch of sadness flit through her face as I turned?
A-are you leaving, Mewtwo? she exclaimed.
I slowed my stride, casting my head back. "Only to go fetch something to eat. I will bring you something back if you like." She nodded sheepishly. Raising my money, I added, "There should be enough for both of us, shouldn't there? Or should I get more?"
Ebony's eyelids fluttered as she processed my meaning. No, there should be plenty. You're good.
Putting away the bill, I picked up my walking speed, trying my best maintain a regular gait. "Very well, then. I should not be long. Try to relax and warm up until I get back!"
Okay…
It was strange, but, something inside me held me at the door, gazing back at her. Perhaps I should just stay with her, at least until she recovered? Maybe we could find some place away from her awful caretaker - a place where two rejects could live without judgement? But my stomach's grousing drove me onward, and I turned away.
Giving the entrance to Pokémenagerie a light push, I emerged out into the frigid night, completely unaware of the hell that had just slithered its way into my veins.
Was it worth it?
Expect more soon.
