~Chapter 1~
A baby's blessed cursed
The world was bleak as he looked up into the sky. The sky was tainted with dark purple and a deep shade of black. The field of white tulips was a sea, a sea that rippled around the body of a delicately framed boy, mechanical black wings with midnight feathers tainted with a deep blue. His face held a sad beauty to it, a remembrance to someone long ago. His body was plated in form fitting metal armor with thick metal feather designs engraved on the arms, thighs, sides, and forearms. The armor was as light as the wind's sacred kiss, making mobility a feat of ease. He leaned on a sword, his beautifully long fingers wrapped around the hilt, with nails as black as his mother's soul, and as sharp as her words. The blade itself was made of the strongest metal, leaving the faintest hint of tear blue. His armor covered every inch of his body, except his shoulders, face, and fingers. The shining black metal glinted; it held a bloodlust the boy craved for. The feather shaped metal that arched up protected his neck on both sides, as did his hair, since it obscured the sight of where vital neck points were. His black midnight hair was messy, but in an attractive way, his deep green eyes sad. Who is this boy you may ask? This boy is me.
I was never given a name; my mother was killed before she had the chance. A name seemed so useless; a name seemed like an unneeded burden. They say your name and your fond memories are the most precious things to have, but I have neither. I have no name to think of, I have no gentle memories of warm hands and tender smiles to reminisce about in dark times. I have blood, I have hatred, I have pain to look back on. As I travel, people name me. The most common name I have obtained is Rye. So that is the name I call myself.
I looked down on the gravestone, the words carved in the marble were faded, the once smooth surface jagged and rough. The words etched into the marble read:
Rest in Peace Kimmy
You were cruel and ruthless
But you had a strength we only dream of obtaining
Your departure was a tragedy, and your death was a horrific loss for our world
Because now we know of no one that could possibly stop this madness, no one holds a candle to you in your sadistic nature, and in our horrible time, ruthless and uncaring souls are exactly what we need.
I scoffed. If my mother had remained alive this world would've soon been rid of Mewtwo, but would have much worse consequences. My mother would've taken over. I picked up my sword and grabbed the blade, biting my lip fractionally as the metal sliced into the tendons in my hand. Blood dripped from my wound and three droplets of the ruby liquid splashed onto the marble surface. I picked a flower and smashed it in the palm of my bleeding hand. I dropped the white flower onto my mother's grave, the petals stained with my blood. I smirked a little. "There you are mother, I know you would much rather blood smeared on your grave rather than petty words and useless tears"
My wings spread, the silent agony in my head left to a dull thud, but the hollow emptiness of my heart remained. I had never known love, compassion, I had only known bloodshed. I looked up into the sky, my green eyes narrowing. I heard them.
'Them' was too broad of a word, 'them' could imply the Resistance, or 'them' could imply Pokemon. Both of which I would not be pleased to see. The resistance found me as their hero, something I was not. Simply because I chose on a few occasions to help the human resistance does not mean I favor their side. The Pokemon found me as a threat, and simply, both sides should see me as a threat. If I learned anything from my mother, in the haunting stories that were told about her by my deceased father, or simply the note she left me before she had been slaughtered, I learned that you do what you want to, no matter the consequences. I had a bloodlust, and as long as this war raged I would be able to fulfill it.
'Them' though happened to be Pokemon warriors, I could sense it. This field was untainted by war, I normally would leave and allow the Pokemon to slaughter whatever Resistance they happened to stumble upon, this is where my mother was buried though. I smiled to myself. This field was covered in white flowers and I had an unnecessary hatred for the color white… The rumbling grew louder, and I saw Pokemon warriors heading up the hill. They were covered in head to toe red plated armor with an insignia of a purple star and a pink star. The pink was not very intimidating to most, but hell… I had faced Mew before and she was a furious force to be reckoned with. If I could avoid a battle against her I would. A Steelix led the army, followed by a few Golems and Salamence. All in all there was about thirty. I leaned on my sword, giving the outer appearance of utter casualty and boredom.
"You human! Bow down!" A regular enslaved human would and their life would be spared, maybe the Pokemon would play around with the human a little bit, but the human would live. I on the other hand did not intend to bow.
"Tell me, what do you think of the color of this field?" I asked, my eyes locking with the leader. The leader seemed to enjoy the thought of ripping me apart slowly for my defiance so played along. I knew his plan. He'd lead me into a false sense of security, or allow me to banter or rave, and then kill me, slowly and painfully. They were lucky I was much more merciful than that.
The Steelix advanced but I staid rooted to my spot. "The white flowers are beautiful, gives this a humble, relaxed feeling when you enter this space" I cocked my head to the side and shrugged.
"I think the white is a bit drab," The Steelix was close enough to me now and raised its tail quickly and smashed down. I jumped up and avoided the blow with ease, landing on top of the Steelix's head, facing the stunned army. "So I have an idea," I drew my sword and in one sweeping motion decapitated the Steelix, cutting through the weak area in the metal surrounding the neck. The Steelix let out a furious roar and fell, severed head still but the steel body thrashing around, spraying blood everywhere. I licked some off my hand and looked back at the horrified army with a sadistic smirk on my face. "My idea you may be wondering?" I looked around the field, the thrashing off the Steelix's body had stopped but the white flowers were now sprayed with blood. "Let's paint the flowers red."
I was attacked immediately, but only a few minutes later, bodies were strewn on the floor, blood pooling from their bodies, leaving some flowers completely red. I walked over to my mother's grave and kicked the severed Steelix head off it with about as much effort as snapping a twig. "Here mother, a whole battle field, just for you." My left sword arm was numb, and a dark aura was just receding back into my right hand which screamed in protest. It was such a relief to let that dark energy out, but it hurt like hell when I had to take it back in. "You gave me the curse of life, and father gave me the curse of shadows" I whispered, opening blood splattered wings and soaring into the sky.
Flying was painful, I had a deep wound on my side and my right leg was mending itself back in place after nearly being bit off by a Golem. When I landed my body seared with pain but I didn't care. The wounds were minimal, they would heal. "Damn" I muttered as the world warped and turned black. Maybe I had over exerted myself just a little bit.
When I woke up I was still on the cold floor of the forest and I smiled to myself. My mother would've left me here to die, and my father would've happily helped me go into an eternal world of dreams. No, I am not invincible; in fact my mother would find me weak. The dark aura in my right hand was a power I would happily give up. My father was none other than Darkrai. My father was a Pokemon. I don't know how it worked but it did because I'm here. My parents loved one another, even if my mother never told my father. I had been given his dark energy, or aura. I would gladly give up the dark aura in my hand, it is the source of my after battle pain. Like I said before, letting the energy loose, that feels so good, but taking it back in, it's like pouring salt into an open wound. That dark energy covers my right hand like a lethal glove, making my elongated nails even sharper than they were before.
When my wings snap open violently and the dark blue feathers start to glow, a negative aura encircles me, violent penetration becomes impossible. No, I am not invincible; if I was I would've taken Mew and Mewtwo on already. I just know when I can win a fight, and when I can't. If I start a fight I thought I could win but then find out that it's a lost cause I simply retreat. I value my life only to take the life of others.
I have done that on numerous occasions, like when Mewtwo came after me I had no hope of winning that battle so I simply fled. His blood would be spilt though, and by my sword, that I swear.
Nothing alerted me to the sound of the Weavile, but there it was in a moment, hovering over me, dark garnet eyes cold.
"Human… you smell like blood… blood from my species." I quickly recovered and stood, towering over the Pokemon but I respected its power. Size never meant you were the stronger of the two.
"I have killed some of your species if that is your next question," The garnet eyes of the Weavile narrowed, its dark blue fur was matted with fresh blood, and its pearl white claws were painted over in a decorative ruby red. The seemingly Aztec like headpiece was torn slightly, blood dripping from it. The medallion on its head was scuffed, its ears drooping slightly. "I take from your appearance though you have been killing those of a similar species to mine." I didn't qualify myself as human or Pokemon, therefore I claimed no side in this war.
"I have, and you're next." A small smirk played across my lips as he said those words.
"Forgive me for being so brutally honest but you don't look as if you're in any condition to fight me," The Weavile lunged and I dodged, grabbing the claw that it attempted to strike me with and smiling as the razor sharp edge grated harmlessly against the metal of my armor. I pulled the Weavile close to me and whispered into its ear. "I really don't think you're in any condition to be fighting me."
The Weavile growled and struck out with Dark Pulse. I winced slightly but recovered, my father had been the master of Dark moves, and they had little effect on me even if they were naturally super affective against others. The Weavile pulled away, its garnet eyes furious. "You should be dead." I smiled and put my sword in its sheath.
"And yet I'm not" I turned my back on the Weavile, a mistake I regret deeply since I felt an enormous amount of energy begin to build up. I turned around in time to see the red and orange sunset like colors being fired straight for my heart. I released the negative energy from my right hand and slashed at the Hyper Beam.
In an instant the Weavile had pushed me to the floor and had blood tainted claws at my throat. I smiled and pushed the Weavile off me. I could sense the life dripping slowly out of the Weavile and I felt a sudden kin ship with the dying Pokemon. I had never attempted to steal back the dying from the hold of Death, but I would try. My father had raised me up until I had been 14, and then he died. In that time though he forced in all the knowledge of my powers into my brain, figuring out how to use them though would be my problem, so I attempted to do the Sacred Kiss. The Sacred Kiss sucked the soul back from the Death that manifested itself in a certain part of the body. It was like a giant black hole that soon spread through your body, sucking the life right from you. If you knew what to do though, you could reverse the process.
I leaned next to the Weavile which hissed at me angrily. "Let me die, and if you were honorable you'd kill me yourself." My cold green eyes flashed. "Well, honor was a curse I was spared from little Weavile" I leaned down and my lips met the Weavile's which staid completely motionless from shock and relief. The Weavile could feel its life returning as I could. The shadows that had threatened to overcome its heart receded with slight reluctance. Death had been having a wonderful time lately claiming its victims but had so many, losing one wouldn't deprive it for long, there were so many more to claim.
I removed my lips from the Weavile's and stood. The Sacred Kiss didn't seem all that special, I had felt no power, all I had simply done was press my lips against the Pokemon. My eyes narrowed. "I might just have to kill you," The Weavile had stood and looked wary.
"Why?"
I chuckled but kept my sword sheathed. "I'm notoriously known for stealing lives, not giving them" The Weavile relaxed.
"If it is a matter of reputation than don't worry, I won't tell them that the Shadow Slayer is a softy." I raised an eyebrow. "Shadow Slayer?" The Weavile nodded.
"That is your battle name, whether you want it or not. Mewtwo does not know your name, nor does anyone for that matter, so they all call you Shadow Slayer." I chuckled.
"And what might your name be?" The Weavile licked its fur three times before answering. "Taiyo" I smirked slightly. "Well Taiyo, good luck in whatever your search may be." I walked away, but Taiyo was in front of me in a moment, garnet eyes hard.
"Are you going to just leave me here wounded?" I shifted my head to the side, eyes thoughtful. "Yes, that was the plan." I replied. Taiyo's expression hardened.
"You honestly have no honor or compassion at all do you?" I shook my head and walked by him. "Honor and compassion are a much worse curse than the one I was given Taiyo"
Taiyo was not giving up. He grabbed my leg and turned me around. "Honor and compassion are not a curse you diluted fool, it's what keeps me sane." I knelt down to Taiyo and licked his blood drenched fur. He took in a sharp breath as I came so close. "I never said I was sane dear Taiyo now did I?" I whispered and then spread my wings. Taiyo was covered in blood and it was so tempting to lick off, to just lick every speck of blood from his beautiful dark blue fur. "I must go Taiyo, your presence is intoxicating." I was about to lift off, but Taiyo stopped me by grabbing my leg.
"Allow me to come with you" I lifted an eyebrow. "Now why would I do that?" He looked me directly in my eyes, deep emerald clashing with garnet.
"Because I can protect you." I scoffed. "Taiyo that is a tradition that has been dead for nearly twenty years. Humans have learned now to protect themselves without the help of Pokemon." Taiyo didn't flinch away from my words.
"Allow me to travel with you and I promise you I won't be a burden" I contemplated the thought. If need be I could use him as leverage, or bait, or even better a decoy. "Alright, but I won't be… you know, like a trainer to you. You'll find your own food and what not." Taiyo nodded and climbed in between the open space of my wings.
"I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with you so close to my neck," I heard Taiyo chuckle softly, his body vibrating against my own.
"Why not? Afraid you'll feel my fangs?" I felt his claws gently move my hair and his warm breath tickled the nape of my neck. His fangs were there, gently caressing the skin as a lover would trace invisible lines across ones arm in seduction. "As long as you don't hurt me I'll be a good boy." I wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not but I could've sworn I heard a flirtatious tone in his voice.
"If you're not a 'good boy' I'll punish you, don't think that it's past me." Taiyo purred and I could just imagine his smug face.
"Oh I'm sure you'll punish me in various ways." Again, I heard an implication in his voice. I was only 17 though with no experience with flirting and sexual implications. My father had taught me to fight, that was all, and he never told me about… sexual interests.
I brushed off the confusing thoughts for they were not important. The only thing that was important was my bloodlust and what I would do fulfill it. I flew off into the sky, the ground becoming no more than an overcome boundary for Taiyo. It was noon, the time of day I was usually asleep. The bright sun shone on my armor, making me a black shooting star in the sunlit sky.
"You fly at very high speeds." I said nothing; I was simply looking for a place to sleep. "I don't believe I know your name." Taiyo said, poking my neck lightly with his claws.
"I thought you said it was Shadow Slayer." Taiyo chuckled once more, a sound I was getting used to.
"I mean your real name." I shrugged in flight. "It may be whatever you wish it to be." Taiyo's silence told me he was confused.
"You don't have a name?" I shook my head, the certain topic of conversation not really catching my interest.
"I have been named many things, it doesn't matter what you call me." Taiyo was silent in his thoughts. "Are you saying you don't want to tell me your name or you don't have one?"
I looked back, my eyes alight with amusement. "I don't have an official one; it is whatever people choose to call me. It doesn't matter." Taiyo snorted in disagreement.
"Well, what is a name you like?" I smiled slightly. "Not 'like' intrinsically, but I have been called Rye often enough so I guess you may call me that" Taiyo leaned down and found my ear.
"Rye," He whispered. A shiver went up my spine which I promptly ignored. "Do you like your new name?" I allowed a small smile to dance across my lips. "If it pleases you than yes I do." Taiyo chuckled.
"Many things please me" I wasn't sure if there was a hidden implication in that statement but I didn't try to find it if there was.
An hour later I found a cave where we could rest. I landed gracefully, not used to the weight on my back. Taiyo dismounted from my back and stumbled to the floor.
"You may have saved me from death but I still have my wounds." He told me through gritted teeth. I smiled slightly and picked him up. "I'll help you," I told him, placing him in the cave and setting him on the cold stone floor. "I'll be right back." I left the cave in search of soft moss and found it in heaps. I picked some up and saw out of the corner of my eye a Pidgeotto. It was clad in red armor which made my eyes narrow. A Pokemon warrior. It did not see me, so its death was unbeknownst to all except the two of us when I snuck up behind it and sliced the head off smoothly. I would've normally liked to make the bird's pain long and elaborate but its cries would've alerted any other stray warriors to our whereabouts and I wasn't in the mood to kill, I was tired.
I kept the moss separated from the headless carcass of the Pidgeotto which was spilling endless amounts of blood. When I returned to the cave Taiyo was sitting up, his garnet eyes dull, and his side bleeding. I placed down the moss and tossed the dead bird at the wall. "That's our food." Taiyo smirked.
"I thought I was supposed to be supporting myself in this relationship." I felt heat crawl up my neck. "This isn't a relationship." Taiyo smirked again. That smirk was really starting to annoy me.
"My apologies but what I said was open for misinterpretation and you did just that. Allow me to rephrase. I thought I was supposed to be supporting myself in this partnership"
"Just accept the gesture as a peace offering so there isn't any mistrust with us" Taiyo shrugged and winced. I leaned down next to him and put my hand on the wound. "I'm going to trust you to tell me the real story of how you obtained these magnificent injuries once your better." Taiyo smiled.
"Of course." I opened a small First Aid kit in my armor which had bandages in it. "The wound isn't clean, you can't bind it yet." I mirrored his previous smirk. This was my favorite part of healing bleeding injuries. "Oh I know." I replied and began licking at the blood around the wound and then the wound itself. I felt Taiyo stiffen slightly but then a satisfactory sigh escaped his lips. He held my head closer to the wound, forcing me to continue lapping at the raw flesh. I didn't protest.
Another odd trait I had… my saliva was a healer, so we both gained from this experience. The wound was clean and I lifted my head fractionally, letting Taiyo know his hold on my head had to be loosened. He released me with much reluctance. I didn't look him in the eyes as I bandaged his now healing wound. A claw lifted my chin and forced me to look into deep garnet eyes.
"You have a little blood on your face, let me get that," He leaned forward and I staid perfectly still, my breathing becoming labored as Taiyo's tongue lightly went across my upper and lower lip. "All gone." He whispered.
I quickly withdrew from Taiyo. "Rye what's wrong?" Taiyo asked with worried eyes. "I'll make your food and then you should go to sleep." I had gotten turned on while licking his wound because he had made the experience… well, he had made it kinky. Two conflicting emotions clashed against one another. Bloodlust and then there was just plain pure lust. The bloodlust had been momentarily satiated, but the lust, oh my God the lust wasn't nearly satisfied. "Living with Taiyo is going to prove to be an entertaining ride of self control." I whispered to myself while plucking the decapitated bird.
But something seemed odd… No Pokemon would be so willing to befriend and then flirt with a human, or whatever I was. The war had made a rift between the two species; one so big that only peace could possibly hope to repair. So why was it that Taiyo was so willing to win my trust, what would he gain by accomplishing that. My eyes widened fractionally. To create a false sense of security. No, you're being paranoid, just shut up and go to sleep… maybe it will all seem clearer in the morning… I fell asleep with unease, clutching my sword closer to me than usual.