A new one-shot? Can it be? Yes! A Christmas-y one for, well, Christmas. And yes, I am aware that Santa Claus exists in the Pokemon anime. He does not for this.
Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I write Pokemon (Satoshi Tajiri), The Polar Express (Chris Van Allsburg), or the letter Yes, Virginia (Francis Pharcellus Church). The human character present is my own though.
Yes, Virginia
Snow coated the wonderland of the forest, trickling softly from the sky. It clung to everything, sparkling and throwing prisms of rainbow light as the bright sun pierced the thinning canopy. The dark cloak was of no use here, he realized, not with all the whiteness. He stayed though, lurking behind one of the old, leafless trees. He was intrigued, purple eyes watching the group intently with such concentration normally reserved for opponents. They could be opponents, he mused, but he didn't believe it. No, none of them looked like fighters. Well, maybe the Mightyena and the Tauros and the Arcanine but the rest were soft.
The human of the group was much older than the others he had seen passing by. She sighed, nose and cheeks flushed from the cold. The dark eyes trailed upwards and then to the odd watch on her wrist. She grumbled, hand tightening on the cane at her side. The creatures gathered around her whined softly, eyes pleading for…something. A break? No, none of them looked tired. The growl she produced was somewhat impressive but she waved her free hand. The group cheered, dashing about as the human dropped onto a log and rubbed her temples. The two dog-like creatures began digging a hole in the center as the Slowpoke and Blissey began stripping the packs and bags off of the bull. Minutes later, four of the group ventured off into the forest, romping about in the freezing snow. The Blissey patted the woman on the arm before straightening up the small clearing much like a maid. The Slowpoke, true to its species, curled up at the human's side, somewhat adorable in its little coat and hat.
It wasn't long before the four returned, snorting and trumpeting. The two dogs led the group, roots tangled in their mouths as they hurried over. The Tauros had the majority of the conifer on his massive back while the Phanpy supported the trunk with, well, its trunk. It took all four, plus the Slowpoke, to set it in the newly dug hole. The creatures looked…happy with their accomplishment and he stared in wonder at the scene. Why had they dug up a tree just to place it in another hole?
"Guys, we could've gone and found a spot with a tree," the woman scolded. Well, at least she had some brains. The Pokemon shared a sheepish look before dashing about like crazed children. Odd decorations began appearing on the tree, ranging from other branches fashioned into odd shapes to ribbons pulled from one of the many bags around their campsite. Even the Slowpoke was going about finding ornaments to hang on the thick limbs. The woman sat still on the log, her back to him but he could sense her amusement at the sight before her.
None of it answered his main concern: what was going on? Why all of this…festivity?
The Arcanine suddenly came up, an oddly shaped rock in his mouth. He barked happily, fluffy tail wagging as it was lifted to the top of the tree by a pink light. The creatures all paused and seemed to bask in the odd sight, bodies still but for wagging tails. He glanced between the six creatures before raising his eyes to the misshapen, strangely pointed rock at the top. It was sort of endearing, strangely although he wasn't sure why.
"If you're going to stand and gawk, might as well come over."
He froze, straightening and shifting his attention back to the human. She had twisted around, staring at him with an incredibly sharp gaze. He glanced about and found that he was no longer hiding behind the tree but standing out in the open, very visible with his tattered black cloak against the snowy background. He stayed still, eyes shifting from face to face. Curiosity (Phanpy and Blissey), wariness (Mightyena and Tauros), a knowing blankness (Slowpoke), and indifference (Arcanine) reflected all around. His weight shifted and he met the woman's gaze again. She had an odd smirk on her face but there was no fear.
A war waged in his mind. Months of solitude and hiding and traveling had instilled a wariness unmatched by any but the most paranoid. She was obviously a trainer; why else would she have such creatures with her? She could try and capture him. The creatures around her didn't look ready for a fight (Mightyena and Tauros excluded but they just seemed on edge at every odd noise for that matter). She also had a cane and he had watched her lumber slowly around. He could outrun her easily if the situation called for it. However, he still wouldn't get any answers to his questions on this strange phenomenon.
Against any better judgment, he found himself walking towards them, toes barely touching the fresh powder surrounding them. He paused momentarily outside of what he considered the danger zone before stepping in gingerly. None of the creatures moved, merely watching his next move silently. His feet shifted and he lowered himself down onto the log as far as possible from the human. The tension around him relaxed significantly and the creatures again began preparing the clearing.
He sat still, back ramrod straight as he watched curiously. The Arcanine had started digging another hold in the dirt, closer to the log. The Mightyena growled softly, shoving his snout into the hole and attempting to dig as well. The Phanpy came by then, trunk loaded with kindling and branches bigger than his blue body. It was only then that he noticed that each one, except for the Arcanine, sported a coat for the chilly weather. It was odd. He had never really seen more than a small scarf on other Pokemon that the trainers had. His gaze traveled back up the tree then, landing on the rock. Strange, from this angle it sort of looked like a star.
It was then that he realized the human had not said a word since he had joined them. His gaze shifted back to her. She was watching him, that smirk still present but there was a sort of wonder and amusement radiating off of her. His mind reached out, gently brushed the edge of hers and she recoiled slightly at the intrusion. He flinched back when a shield lifted over her thoughts, pink and vibrant and scolding. It hadn't been painful, the odd pink shield. It had popped up fast, much faster than he had expected of the Slowpoke.
He's odd; where'd he get a cloak?; what kind of Pokemon is he?; he's so entranced by the tree; dammit, if those two don't stop it, I'm going to beat something; HEY!
She was frowning slightly but the curiosity remained. "I don't appreciate being read without consent," she stated. He stared at her, eyes shifting only for a moment to the Slowpoke who was frowning slightly as well. The tension was back as the creatures all paused and stared at them.
"I'm sorry?" he offered, the words echoing stupidly in his own mind. That didn't sound like him at all. What had she done to him? Was there some sort of drug in this clearing that made all who inhaled it stupid and giddy?
The smile surprised him to say the least. The tension melted away like the snow at the Arcanine's feet as the group began their preparations yet again. He felt something brush against him and turned to stare at the Blissey as she chirped happily and patted his hand. He curled his fingers, not knowing how he was supposed to react to this strange world he had entered.
"My name's Iz," the human said, once again bringing his attention to her. She nodded at the Blissey, the smile warm. "That's Mother Teresa. We just call her Mom most of the time." The name was odd to say the least but he nodded to the kind Pokemon as she beamed. "Slowpoke's Dagon." The pink lump raised a paw and lowed softly. "Two knuckleheads over there are Orthrus and Stitch." Both dogs raised their head at the sound of their name, feud on hold as they tried to figure out why they were being called. "The Tauros is Govinda, Go for short. Confuses the hell outta people," she snorted. The huge bull jerked his head before returning to digging in the snow for grass. "Phanpy's Ragnarok, Rags for short." The little elephant trumpeted, startling a few birds from their perches. Her eyes pinned him down now. "You got a name?"
There was no harm, right? "Mewtwo," he sent out, making sure each Pokemon received the message. Her head tilted but she didn't ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue. She stretched her back out, one hand reaching out to massage her right knee through the thick winter pants. She frowned as the two dogs seemed to bicker, teeth baring and jaws snapping in warning. Iz made an odd, loud noise that made him stiffen and the two dogs jump, staring wide eyed at her. They both shrunk back and seemed to forget about their measly feud.
"Gotta stay on them or they'll end up killing each other," she mumbled, eyes rolling. Under her watchful eye, only the kindling was lit instead of the Mightyena's tail and the group snuggled around the fire. Mewtwo still sat stiffly, watching the gathered creatures. The silence wasn't awkward although he had expected more questions, more staring. The creatures, however, were content to just sit about and enjoy the other's company. Orthrus (or was it Stitch?) had settled near Iz, licking a black paw. The other dog was on the opposite side of the fire, his intense body heat melting the snow around him to the Tauros' delight. Rags (what kind of name was that?) was sitting like a young child would: body vibrating with energy as he attempted to stay still. Teresa (he was not calling her Mom!) had settled down right beside him, just radiating joy. He could feel eyes on him and he looked up, not surprised to find the human, Iz he corrected, smiling at him again. What did she find so damn amusing?
"Welcome to the misfits," she merely stated. "Relax, for once. You're in good company." He scowled, pinning her with one of his patented glares. She merely laughed, brown eyes lighting up. "Scary, big bad Pokemon now?" Mewtwo snorted, not backing down. "Trust me, boy, you don't scare me."
The sudden thought of I'll show her flashed through his mind before he schooled it away. Arrogant, yes. There was, however, a certain truth about the statement. He watched her carefully now, wondering just what did scare her.
The light began to dim and she glanced up. She rose to her feet stiffly, limping over to one of the bags. The Pokemon were up, eyes lighting up as she began to pull dishes out. Teresa had skipped over and started helping her dish out the food. Iz turned to him, the warm smile on her face still. "Most of these are specific but there might be something you like."
Mewtwo blinked, dully registering the shock. What kind of world had he stepped into? He stared at her, somewhat lost at the kindness directed to him. She was waiting, the smile welcoming as he finally shrugged. She snorted but handed the Blissey a plate, a mixture of the odd Pokemon food on it. She skipped over, presenting it with as much flourish as a chef might with a gourmet meal. He gingerly took it from her, allowing a smile on his face. That just made her beam and chirp happily.
The only sounds now were happy munching. Mewtwo ate with as much dignity that he could muster, attempting to act as though this was normal when it certainly was not. He watched the others carefully as they finished their meal, the Phanpy getting a small warning grunt from the Tauros when his trunk reached out to swipe a piece.
The only light came from the bright moon and glow of the fire as the dishes were put away. There was a tension again although this one seemed friendlier. All eyes were watching her expectantly. "What?" she asked, a smile cracking onto her otherwise serious face. It was a teasing one that seemed to only agitate the creatures further. "Give me the book then."
Rags bellowed happily and dove into yet another bag. He popped back out, a slim book clutched in his trunk. Squeaking softly, he plopped down on the log next to her as she took the book. Dagon nudged onto her other side, his chin resting on her thigh. The other four scooted in closer as she settled onto the log as best as she could with the two on top of her.
"The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg," she read, flipping to the first page. He attempted to not be interested, it was a children's book for Arceus' sake. The words flowed into his head though and her voice penetrated his thoughts that, before he knew it, he was leaning over to gaze at the pictures much like the other two were. As soon as the word 'train' left her mouth, Rags would trumpet softly, the notes sounding oddly like a whistle. Her voice changed from low to high-pitched depending on the character and he was lost in the pages. The word 'ringing' brought out a new noise. He glanced up quickly and saw the Mightyena had a bell in his mouth, smiling at him. Then her voice drew him back and he sank back into the story. The bell would ring at certain words but it no longer startled him look up. She turned to the last page, voice softening as she read the last line.
"Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe." A collected sigh echoed around, the two on her lap smiling brightly. She rubbed both heads and glanced at her watch. "And now, bed. Or he won't come and bring you presents."
A frantic scrambling happened. Blankets were spread across the snowless clearing and the Pokemon curled up on them quickly. The Mightyena moved slower, smiling as the Phanpy and Slowpoke immediately "fell" asleep. Iz watched them in amusement before glancing over at him. "Goes for you too. Or they might rebel." He stiffened; offended that she would order him. The warning growl from the two dogs, however, made him back off slightly. She held out the slim book, a peace offering. "You missed the first few pages."
Dignity, something that he had been losing ever since he had entered the clearing, tried to tell him not to take it. His superior mind was above the simple words printed on the colorful pages. He found himself taking the well loved book though and flipping open to the first page. His fingers traced the drawings, knowing that she was watching him but unable to hold back. The last sentence of the book echoed in his mind and he turned to the last page, staring at the silver bell.
It was dark when he started awake at the small noise, hand clenched as a blue ball of energy formed in it. He glanced around wildly, mind racing and trying to catch up with his tense body. The energy faded away as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. Mewtwo stared at Iz, the human returning the stare. The odd smirk was on her face again but his eyes fell to the bright paper in her hand. It was in the shape of a box and she had been leaning over to push it under the decorated tree.
Hurt flashed through him and then a small, bubbling rage. Was it another lie that humans told? He didn't know he was even growling, eyes flashing when she threw something at him. He awkwardly caught the cane, surprised that he hadn't stopped it with his powers.
"Shut it or they'll wake up," she hissed softly. Iz pulled another brightly wrapped package out and placed it somewhat lovingly under the tree.
"It's a lie then," he snarled, keeping the line only for her to hear. She blinked slowly, as though she didn't understand what he was talking about. Then it seemed to click and the confusion melted to a strange combination of warmth and something he couldn't identify.
Iz stood up and limped over to where he sat still on the blanket. She picked the book up from where he had set it down and opened the flaps of the book. A small piece of paper, yellow with age, slid out. She sat down beside him, wincing at the shot of pain in her leg. Her fingers expertly opened the brittle paper and she squinted in the dim light of the fire to see the words.
"Virginia, your little friends are wrong," she whispered, her voice barely heard as a wind blew by. "They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
"Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
"You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
"No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."
He stared at her, unmoving, as she finished. The yellow paper fluttered gently and she folded it up again to protect it. Iz returned it to the spot in the book, securing it in its hiding spot. She was smiling so warmly at him, glowing with happiness and something else he had felt before. Then her arm came around his shoulders and he stiffened instinctively.
"No, Mewtwo, he isn't real in the way you're thinking," she mumbled. "But he is real in the childlike sense. I'm sure Orthrus has figured it out," she sighed softly, motioning to the Mightyena. "He keeps it quiet though because he likes presents and it keeps the others in line." She pulled him a little closer. "Now keep it quiet and go back to sleep so I can enjoy tomorrow."
He wasn't sure how he felt now as she arranged the presents under the tree. Mewtwo watched her, holding the book she had set down and staring at it. The train looked surreal now, its light fading off into the darkness on the cover.
It was an ungodly hour. He swore he had just closed his eyes when there was a mighty bellow and trumpet. Rags was up, bounding excitedly around the tree. Iz groaned, sitting up and rubbing her arms from the chill. The rest of the group was groggily waking up, Orthrus grumbling and attempting to block out the squeals and bellows. Mewtwo glanced up at the sky, only seeing a bit of pink and orange.
"All right, all right," she mumbled. Iz scrubbed at her face, looking like she had just managed to fall asleep. She scooted to the tree, not really wanting to stand yet. Picking up one of the brightly wrapped packages, she glanced at the tag before handing it to the vibrating Phanpy. "Rags." He squealed and took it, ripping through the paper.
She passed out the presents and he watched the personalities around him. Teresa was carefully removing the paper and ribbon. Dagon was doing the same but at a much slower and messier rate. Both dogs had ripped open the boxes and were nosing in them for goodies. Go had done the ripping in a delightfully cleaner manner, holding onto one end of the paper and flinging his head up to unwrap.
"Mewtwo."
He glanced over at her, purple eyes suddenly landing on the package in her hand. Bewilderment crossed his features before they schooled into a blank expression. He couldn't keep the emotion out of his eyes though as he stared at the package in her hand. It was square, thicker than his arm but that didn't say much about its contents. She waved it slightly, urging him to take it as the others paused in their unwrapping to watch. He reached out, letting a blue aura surround the package and drawing it to him. It wasn't very heavy and the paper depressed when he squeezed. The purple eyes rose up, caught her warm gaze before they dropped back down to the pretty red and green paper. His head tilted and yes, there was his name scribbled on the tag with a line saying from 'Santa Claus'. Mewtwo gingerly tugged on the gold ribbon and carefully slit the tape along the sides open.
Something black and thick greeted him as he finally pulled away the paper. It slipped out and fell into his lap, soft and warm. He lifted it carefully, unsure of what it was. Something silver glinted in the new light and he finally righted it. It was a cloak, black as a dark shadow with a silver clasp at the shoulder. Its weight was perfect for the cold winter and he stared at it, one hand reaching up to brush against the clasp. His gaze traveled back to her and she smiled. "Fits you better than me. I don't have much use for a cloak."
Dagon glanced their way but didn't say anything. He had a fish shaped squeaky toy held in his maw and was having a blast gnawing on it. The others were too engrossed in their gifts to notice the silent conversation. Mewtwo ran a hand down the soft inside before stripping off his tattered cloak and draping the new one around his shoulders.
Breakfast was served and then the group began to pack. He watched from his spot as the blankets were rolled up, the tree undecorated, and Go loaded with the bags. He shifted slightly and grunted at the Phanpy racing around his legs.
He moved to leave then, standing with his old cloak tucked under his arm.
"Leaving without a goodbye?" Mewtwo looked back to see the group watching him curiously. He shifted his stance and was nearly bowled over by the Phanpy. Rags wrapped his trunk around his leg, hugging briefly before letting go and chirping happily. Iz smirked, tilting her head. "We got a house some miles from here. You ever in the neighborhood, just drop on by." All he could do was nod. Power wrapped around him, lifting him from the ground. The blue aura surrounded his body as he took off, heading west across the island.
Iz watched him leave, wincing at the crick in her neck. That was the last time they were doing Christmas outside. "All right guys, get moving. I want to get home before sundown today."
It was nearly sundown when Mewtwo stopped and landed in a deserted cave. He shook the snow off his shoulders and settled away from the wind blowing through the mouth of the cave. Letting out a sigh, he wrapped the cloak more securely around him to block the chill of the winter air. His hand brushed against an inside pocket and he frowned at the rustle. Delicately, he dug the item out and brought it out from under the heavy cloth. The paper was new, as white as the snow outside except for the black ink. He stared at it, reading the scrawled words. He could hear her voice in his head, a soft whisper, as he concentrated on the letter. Carefully, he refolded it and slipped it back into the pocket. As he began to drift, he swore he could hear bells.