Artificial [Mewtwo/Deoxys]
Mewtwo didn't like much.
He liked darkness (even though he was a psychic type), he liked solitude (even though he was the copy of Mew - oh-so childish mew), he liked the rain (even though Mew hid under tables whenever it rained), he liked knowledge (even though Mew couldn't stand to learn), he liked... well, that was pretty much it. Mewtwo's life goal was to be the complete opposite of the 'original' Mew; to prove that he was more than just a genetic experiment. So he solidified his shady demeanor with harsh glares and with feet firmly planted on the ground (Mew was too nice to glare and too playful to stay on the ground); he refrained from speaking to his fellow legendaries and whenever he was forced to he spoke in short sentences and a low voice (Mew was a talkative pokemon with long, run-on sentences and a high-pitched voice). Pokemon like Rayquaza and Giratina - those on equal power level to him - gave him respectful nods; pokemon like Jirachi and Celebi - the 'lesser' legendaries - stayed away from him, and then pokemon like Mew and Latias - the playful ones - floated eagerly around him, babbling about the goings-on of the Legendary Council; news Mewtwo didn't really care for. And then there was the one pokemon who didn't fit into any category - not powerful, not lesser, not playful.
That pokemon was Deoxys.
He had been intrigued by the 'DNA Pokemon' ever since he had first encountered her. She didn't nod, didn't shy away, didn't smile and laugh an annoyingly carefree giggle - his mind flashed to a certain pink hovering cat and his mouth curled into a sneer - he wasn't a copy of her at all, at all, at all, and he repeated that until he thought he believed it; then he looked into the mirror and all the effort crumbled - but instead she looked him in the eyes - her shadowed black eyes met his lilac purple, and they seemed to pierce through his walls and see who he was, who he wasn't, who he tried to be - and then walked away, tentacles waving casually. Darkrai, who had been his tour guide of the Hall of Origins - the Nightmare pokemon was a decent companion, he didn't try to talk to him or annoy him with petty gossip - just grinned and chuckled lightly.
"Deoxys is quite the oddity, huh?"
Mewtwo could only nod.
Mewtwo was a tall, imposing figure who created a perfect - perfect, perfect, perfect, nothing about him was perfect, he was just a fake, a fake, a fake, a copy (copy, copy, copy) of her - emotionless mask, because it was too dangerous to let people know the 'real' him - he thought of Ambertwo, his first friend, maybe his only in his lifetime - because friends were only meant to betray you in the end - use you for their personal gain, like Giovanni and his evil schemes, like Team Rocket and their faked hospitality - he thought he was over that, but he wasn't, not really - so he hid behind his tall-as-the-sky walls (he liked to think that his brick walls had no limits, but they did, they did, they did) and no one tried to break then. He was rather thankful for that, but secretly he wished that someone would at least try.
The first time they spoke was before a Legendary Council. They had been the only two at that current time, seated next to each other (Arceus apparently thought that DNA and Genetic were pretty much the same) awkwardly. Then she swivelled to face him.
"Hello," she said. Her voice was quiet. "I am Deoxys. But you may call me Deo." He gave her a sharp nod.
"I am Mewtwo." he said shortly. She smiled a little, her lips curving into a small smile. Mewtwo was suddenly struck by the thought that Deoxys (Deo) wasn't the classical kind of beautiful - like Latias with her neatly groomed fur and stars for eyes (Rayquaza wasn't exactly subtle in his longing for the female Eon) or Diancie with her elegant movements and glittering jewels (Zygarde was a good fit for her, he mused. He taught her fun while she taught him formality) - but she was, in a sense. Deo was beautiful, even with her awkward social skills and her shy stance. He cleared his throat slightly.
"It... it was nice to meet you, Deo." He forced out. She smiled again, and Mewtwo was enchanted by the way her lips slanted slightly upwards and her eyes lit up faintly. Previously, he had only known Mew and Latias' cheeky grins and Diancie and Xerneas' graceful smiles. Deoxys - the DNA pokemon - was a new oddity, one that Mewtwo was intrigued by. She tilted her head slightly.
"You too." Then silence fell, and Mewtwo found himself wanting to hear her voice again, see her smile again.
When he approached Darkrai - he had grown rather fond of the dark-type - about his thoughts on Deoxys, he threw his head back and laughed. And laughed. And laughed. Mewtwo's eye twitched in irritation.
"It's called love, my starstruck friend." Darkrai spluttered out. Mewtwo frowned.
"Love? What's love?" he asked in confusion. Darkrai looked at him weirdly.
"You seriously don't know what love is?" he clarified. Mewtwo shook his head, and Darkrai grinned - it was a grin that signified dark times on the horizon, that he was plotting something in his brain.
"Well, it goes like this." And Darkrai proceeded to explain every single detail about love to Mewtwo. The Genetic pokemon left Newmoon Island with flushed cheeks. He couldn't look Deo in the eye without blushing for a week.
Much to his surprise, Deoxys sent him a note asking for him to come to her home on Birth Island a month after their initial meeting. After a swift teleportation, they engaged in minor small talk before Deo cut straight to the point.
"How do you feel about your whole clone-of-Mew thing?" she asked, not unkindly. Mewtwo gasped and spluttered, momentarily dropping his façade.
"It's... hard. I was used as a weapon by Team Rocket, and then when I escaped I had this far-fetched plan of taking over the world. Then later on I discover that I'm not my own unique person - I'm just a clone of an existing pokemon. A copy. And..."
Deoxys was surprisingly easy to speak to. Mewtwo spilled out his heart that day - he spoke about his identity dilemma ("Clones don't exactly have their own personality - an I just a replica of Mew's, only programmed to be the complete opposite?"), his first defeat ("That boy - he sacrificed himself for the wellbeing of the pokemon. I had thought before that all humans were the same - crude and arrogant and selfish, using pokemon for their own personal gain - but that boy... that boy proved me wrong."), and his first encounters with the other legendary pokemon ("One moment I think I'm the most powerful pokemon on Earth, the next I meet Arceus and all my dreams and plans are shattered.) She sympathised with him on many accounts ("I didn't have the same identity confusion but I had the same 'Who am I?' thoughts. I was created when Mew sneezed in space, you know. Not the most grandeur entrance into the world, especially since I decided to try and destroy Hoenn and was soundly beaten by an angered Rayquaza. I had the same sudden realisation too - being created in space, I was completely oblivious to what happened on Earth. Then I met the legendaries and it's just complete and utter disbelief.") and showed him her different forms (Mewtwo personally liked her Speed form the best, it made her look even more sleek and beautiful). Mewtwo came to Birth Island an internally conflicted pokemon. He left a satisfied and perhaps even a happier one.
Their first date was calming and revealing.
Mewtwo had taken up the advice of Darkrai (he had managed to charm Cresselia after all) and slipped Deo little gifts here and there - heart shaped chocolates with cream inside, the kind she liked the most - trinkets to decorate her house - a photo frame with a picture of the entire legendary council already inside. And then he asked her out on a date, albeit awkwardly. With a surprised gasp, Deo eagerly accepted. They had kept it a secret, but somehow it got out. Mew babbled on in excitement, Latias squealed in delight, Rayquaza threatened him with severe injury should he ever betray her (the serpentine dragon had taken a very protective role in Deo's life ever since their brief battle many years ago), and Arceus gave them congratulations.
He had taken her to a mortal library and they had spent hours discussing literature and debating over things they disagreed upon in a few books. And when the library closed and they were abruptly thrown out, they dined at a formal restaurant and talked about each other's lives.
Mewtwo found out that Deoxys wanted children very, very badly (she gushed for what seemed like hours about the cuteness of babies and their adorable ways, while Mewtwo zoned out, admiring how her eyes brightened up as she babbled); she adored Jirachi (the sleepy Wish pokemon was like her nephew, not quite a son) and often liked reading to him as he slept; she had an unhealthy obsession with chocolate ("Especially the strawberry-and-cream kind, I love those ones!"); she was talented in archery (apparently a talent she had been created with) and much more. But the most important piece of information was her name, other than her species one. Daphne was sophisticated but enchanting, and it fit her tremendously.
In return, he told her about his day-long crush on Diancie ("It faded when I saw how she and Zygarde looked at each other. I couldn't come between a connection like theirs, and eventually the liking faded."); his habit of eavesdropping and spying ("It's not my fault that I just happened to listen in on Darkrai and Cresselia's discussion over Giratina and Latios! They were just speaking too loud, that's all. And I had only gotten up to get a piece of food.") and his brief hatred of Mew ("I didn't understand how she could be all cheerful and hyper all the time. But no one can really hate Mew. She's too friendly and likeable.") and - again - much more, including his name. Mace as a weapon was deadly and efficient, like him (or so she says).
Deo accepted his invitation for a follow-up date.
Their first kiss was purely an accident.
At Christmas time, Mew and Latias liked to wake up super early (an extraordinary feat for them) and hang mistletoe around the Hall of Origins, so that unsuspecting pokemon got trapped underneath them. Mewtwo allowed himself to laugh when Latios and Latias got caught underneath a sprig (their disgusted facial expressions were a breath of fresh air for the normally stoic psychic type), but he definitely wasn't laughing when he and Deo accidentally walked underneath one. They both faced each other in realisation and turned pink, while giggles and chuckles arose from the watching crowd of legendaries. Then Deo darted in and planted a quick kiss on his lips. Caught unaware, Mewtwo could only stare, dumbfounded, at his crush as she smiled shyly and started a conversation with a slyly smiling Latias.
After 2 years of dating, Mewtwo finally worked up the courage to propose. His planning was careful and meticulous. He laid out rose petals (her favourite flower) in a heart shape on the floor of her bedroom, closed the curtains and lit up the room with wax candles, uncorked a bottle of champagne and bent down on one knee. The ring was made of shining silver, with a medium sized ruby as the only jewel. It was simple but beautiful - like her.
She came in and then stopped in her tracks. He offered her a sheepish smile, arms quivering. Then she rushed forward and gave him a big hug, sliding the ring onto her ring finger before smashing her lips against his in a passionate kiss.
Their wedding, like the ring (like her) was simple but beautiful. Red roses lined the hall and a red carpet lead up to the raised platform on which Arceus (as God), Mewtwo, Deoxys, Rayquaza (Mewtwo had picked him as Best Man, knowing it would mean a lot to Deoxys), Mew (Deo had picked her as Maid of Honour, because she was his creator and without her they would never had met), and Jirachi as the beloved ringbearer. Arceus spoke in a clear, formal voice, the words of the pokemon bonding ceremony. After nearly a minute of recited words, Mewtwo and Deoxys kissed for the first time as mates.
Kids came along years afterwards - being immortal beings meant they had a lot of time on their hands.
First was a tiny male Mewtwo, who was fascinated by science and medicine and vowed to create cures for mortal diseases one day. He was intelligent and ambitious, and incredibly adored by his proud parents. Mewtwo taught him knowledge while Deoxys taught him passion. They named him Maxwell, Max for short, and he was going to be the greatest.
Then, a year later, came a female Deoxys. She immersed herself in literature and writing, spending her time either in the library or in her room writing works of fiction. Mewtwo taught her information while Deoxys taught her creativity. Her name was Desiree, Des for short, and she desired much.
The baby of the family, a female Mewtwo, came along many years later. She was amazed by music and dedicated her time to learning to play the piano and flute, two of her favourite instruments. Mewtwo taught her sophistication while Deoxys taught her dedication. She was named Danica, Dani for short, and she indeed was a morning star.
Daphne. Mace. Max. Des. Dani.
They weren't perfect - in fact, the squabbled over many different things. Max and Des often argued over which subject was more important - science or english? - and Deoxys and Mewtwo didn't see eye-to-eye over quite a few things. Dani, well... no one dared contest her, lest they suffer from her parents' wrath.
No, they certainly weren't perfect, and none of them thought so. But they were happy, and that was what mattered most.
Mewtwo often mused over his progressive character change over the years. He went from confused and lost, to crazed and maniacal (he still thanked Ash Ketchum for snapping him out of his revenge-induced rampage), to sullen and isolated, to - as Darkrai appropriately put it - starstruck, to quite possibly the luckiest pokemon and man in the world. He had a gorgeous wife and three unique children.
It is amazing how one can change so swiftly and so suddenly.
Mewtwo knows that the best.
Mewtwo is an... interesting character to write, especially in his point of view.
I tried to depict him like how I headcanon him to be - confused as to why he existed (after all, he is a clone, and therefore guaranteed to have thoughts about his existence) and shutting fellow pokemon out because of his tragic past. I chose Deoxys because she is the DNA pokemon, and therefore likely to have been created genetically as well, so she would sympathize with Mewtwo the best. Mewtwo is one of my favourite pokemon because he isn't a villain, nor a hero. He is merely on his own side, wanting the best outcome for himself. A Slytherin if I have ever seen one, although his stunt with the 'most powerful trainer in the world' in the movie practically screamed 'Gryffindor[k].'
Sorry, I just had to add that Harry Potter reference there. XD
On another, completely unrelated but important note... 2.5K+ words?! o.O
Please review, I'm interested in your opinion on my story!