Mewtwo barely ever tolerated touch by anyone else but him. Another Pokémon yes, but humans were a source of still deeply-settled revulsion and loathing that surged at the worst times. Touch brought pain.
Ash was known, was welcome, and his touch was actively sought out. Every single time they had met up again after their individual travels, Mewtwo had either initiated contact or had not pushed Ash away when the human had touched him.
Big, fat clue anyone?
Yes, he was a moron.
Mewtwo was a tactile creature when he let his guard down, wanted contact, sought it out.
"Day nine. Subject has arrived. We will start with a first analysis to determine what procedures to use."
"Day twelve. Subject shows stress reactions to this method of DNA extraction. We stopped the process."
"Day twenty-nine. Moderate success has been made, but the sample degrade too quickly."
"Day forty-two. After much trial and error we perfected a stable method to extract Mewtwo's DNA."
"Day sixty-eight…"
Ash blinked as the memory flashed through him, as he felt Mewtwo's frustration to be in the tank, unable to escape. Powerless.
He saw, from his point of view, as men and women walked around the lab, dressed in protective gear.
Time passed. Days, then weeks, then months.
He saw Dr. Ann Laurent, so detached, without empathy, subjecting the helpless Pokémon to ever-changing tests. As much as Mewtwo rallied to find some way to escapes, he couldn't fight the machines that were his prison.
Ash pushed the memories away. That was the past. It wouldn't happen again. Laurent was dead; Clifford was in prison. This was over!
Mewtwo shivered in his sleep, curling into himself, and Ash drew gentle patterns over the too gray skin.
The uneven waves became smooth again.
He had to smile, almost fondly, as he remembered the first time he had been allowed to run a calming caress over the other's arm, how startled Mewtwo had been, how thunderstruck, and how he had looked at the point of contact like he had no idea how to handle it all. Before that they had only ever been in close physical contact when Ash had dragged an injured Mewtwo around after Giovanni had nearly killed the hapless Pokémon.
That moment had been so many years ago, almost another lifetime, and it had been the beginning. It had developed in leaps and bounds.
They had both evolved, but for Mewtwo it had been a much steeper curve.
Now this…
This had been so, so bad.
It could have ended worse.
There had been no guarantee that disconnecting the two minds would give Mewtwo back his body. He could just as well have perished forever. The shock, the fact that Clifford had domineered him, had actually tried to erase him, it all could have contributed to absolute failure.
All because Ash had fallen for a carefully constructed trap himself. Because he hadn't listened to instinct.
Pikachu regarded him intensely, shaking his head. While Ash couldn't talk to all Pokémon as he talked to Mewtwo, he caught the gist of their communications. His mind translated the noises into words, into images, and he simply knew what they were saying. Thanks to having a psychic Pokémon connected to his mind.
"Pika," came the quiet advice and small paws curled into his clothes. "Pika. Chu."
Pikachu wanted him to let go of the guilt and get some rest, too.
But Ash did blame very well. Blame and guilt. He smiled sadly. It was one trait he hadn't been able to lose.
::You are not to blame, Ash Ketchum:: came a soft mind-voice that wasn't Pikachu.
He turned his head and looked at his charge. His hand never stopped the gentle caress over the warm skin. "You're supposed to rest."
Mewtwo was clearly exhausted, looked even worse, and his mind was a raw, bleeding wasteland that had to recover. He had been running on fumes, had limped to a safe place, and even now he was struggling.
His own protective walls were cracked in too many places to count and Ash's mind was everywhere, filling in those cracks and obvious holes, repairing the damage done, keeping Mewtwo from harm.
::As are you. On this level of connection we are one. Always are. I can hear you. I can feel you. You are no less tired::
Mewtwo's eyes cracked open a little, aglow from within, bringing the point across, then they slid shut once more. Ash smiled, acknowledging the fact. He playfully started to scratch the sensitive skin at the base of one of the horn-like extensions. Mewtwo leaned into the caress with a barely-there whisper of a sigh. And yes, there was a purr. It was inaudible to humans, but not Pokémon, but Ash heard and felt it.
The first time the highly evolved being had made that sound in Ash's arms had shocked the young man into almost complete stillness for a second, then he had simply continued his ministrations. Mewtwo had never said anything, but the purrs had come back, sometimes soft rumbles, sometimes almost little 'mews'. They were comforting noises for both of them.
They didn't talk about the instinctual reactions; maybe they should have.
::I still feel like I failed. And I did fail as your shield. This shouldn't have happened. I should have listened to what I felt. Part of me knew you were in danger, hurt, being hurt, but I didn't understand it::
::Because it never happened before:: was the matter-of-fact reply.
::That shouldn't factor into it! I failed!::
Mewtwo caught the hand and curled his fingers around it. Ash closed his eyes at the contact, the sensation of falling deeper into the incredible mind intensifying. It was heady and warm, like wrapped in a dozen blankets, it was safety and home. Mewtwo pulled him in, like an embrace, hugging him with such fierceness, it took his mental and physical breath away.
He felt the same, would never lie about it.
::Never, Ash. You never failed me or any of your charges. I never expected you to be receptive over distance::
::Yeah, well, maybe we have to work on that. We haven't so far. We never… we never worked on what could be, aside from the obvious::
Mewtwo acknowledged that silently. ::No blame falls on you. Humans are devious. Clifford used Harry Goodman to find me. And when I escaped, he used the son to find the father, because he needed him dead. Humans plot, deceive, lie and manipulate each other::
::Not all::
::Yes. Not all. I learned that. Even if you are a devious human, Ash Ketchum::
He laughed a little.
Mewtwo was a clone, had been created in a lab, grown in a tube, had never known family, friends, emotions, but he had learned, and he had evolved. Accepting that Pokémon grew with a human partner, he had opened up to the possibility and he had learned emotions.
Emotions that Ash felt over their bond and always had.
::You are only human:: Mewtwo reminded him with a fine sense of humorous teasing. ::No matter my influence:: His eyes cracked open again and Ash smiled briefly. ::You can't understand what hasn't happened before. Even your instincts are not that finely attuned::
Ash sighed, shaking his head. ::We grew complacent. We didn't expect something like this to happen. After Giovanni disappeared… you were nothing but a memory to so many, a mythical figure, a story. Neither of us thought anyone else would dig around and start hunting you::
::Your feelings of guilt are unfounded, Ash. Howard Clifford is one of many bad humans, exploiting others, Pokémon and humans alike. He used his son, abused his power. We were all tools. He deceived us both. He used us both.:: Mewtwo met the dark gaze, eyes swirling with emotions people might not think him capable of. ::I'm only glad you weren't abducted alongside me. I wouldn't have survived seeing you tortured, Ash. But now I owe my life to someone other than you:: The last was said with a touch of amusement.
Ash chuckled, wading through the emotions, aware that a lot had been confessed that had never been spoken about in the past years.
"Do I have to be jealous?" he asked lightly.
::Maybe. Tim Goodman has potential::
His hand was squeezed and the psychic energies rose, enveloping Ash completely, weaving through his mind in complicated patterns no one would be able to ever untangle.
He framed the feline head with his hands and let his forehead touch Mewtwo's. It got him a pleased little sigh, almost a 'mew'.
They were safe now, both of them, the most powerful psychic Pokémon and his human shield and guardian.
Ash refused to be scared and cowed by what had happened. He refused to hide and never to be seen again. He had friends and family. He would still go and see them, he would travel, but no longer alone, and he wanted to meet Tim Goodman, the young man who had saved his friend and partner.
::Y'know, I met Misty just a few weeks before all went to hell here:: he whispered. ::She asked me if we had finally figured out our partnership. I told her we were fine with the status quo, that you needed your space, that you could find me whenever you wanted, that I could drop by to spend time with you. She called me an idiot. You, too. I had no idea what she meant. I know I can be thick::
Mewtwo let amusement trickle along the connection.
::Yeah:: Ash conceded. ::Really thick. She called it an unhealthy long-distance relationship. Challenged me whether I would have left one of my other Pokémon alone to fend for themselves::
The amusement turned into annoyance. ::I can survive on my own:: And he wasn't a possession. It was such a sore spot, it flared up out of the blue sometimes.
::So can I. Look what happened. And Misty's right. Never tell her that, okay?:: Ash smiled briefly. ::She would never let me live it down. But she's right, Mewtwo. It's… I wouldn't call it unhealthy, but it hasn't… been good for us. I think I would have been able to sense something was wrong, instead of getting a vague feeling like I was coming down with some bug. You might have been able to reach me, however briefly. We've grown apart, become complacent. Just seeing each other now and then. This whole mess could have been avoided::
::Doubtful::
And they might have captured Ash, too.
Anger flared. ::You don't know that! But I know that we're stronger together! This connection is there for a reason! Because we are stronger as a team! We haven't done what should have been natural: train. Assess what we have and test the limits. This… this wasn't a gym battle, this was seriously happening and you were so damn lucky…! So damn lucky to survive!::
The desperation finally broke through and Ash buried deeper. Losing Mewtwo wasn't an option. It would never be!
::Just because no one seriously hunted for you in ten years…:: He stopped, voice wavering. ::We made a mistake, Mewtwo. I don't want this to get even worse. I don't want a next time!::
::Neither do I:: was the quiet confession.
Mewtwo's mind pulled him in, shielding him in turn, reassuring him that the Pokémon was still there.
They needed rest. They needed to rebalance themselves, especially Mewtwo. And later, much later, they would have to sort out their partnership. Long distance wouldn't be an option at all anymore.
Pikachu curled up with the pair and sighed a pleased 'pikapika'. Mewtwo's arms were around Ash, his forehead pressed against his partner's chest as he let go of the past tension and let them slide together in sleep and healing. Ash had wrapped his own arms around the exhausted being's head and shoulders, a protective embrace that mirrored what his mind had done.
They wouldn't stay in this temporary hide-out. Ash planned on getting somewhere more comfortable but still secure. He had a few idea, knew such places, and the moment Mewtwo was able to, they would relocate.
xXxX
Throughout the night Pokémon of different species joined them, a circle of small and large guards, keeping their eyes out for danger to the trio. Pikachu shared his appreciation of the gesture with them, receiving waves of support.
tbc...