Took longer than it should have, but some parts were more difficult (and frustrating) to write than others, and I had to rearrange some things around before I was satisfied. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as to finish.

Enjoy.

Chapter Ten

"You did not have to come over."

"I wanted to."

"I've been up-and-about. It's not like I'm impaired."

Mewtwo had no plans staying long despite his concerns. It had been three days since the attack, but it felt like it was yesterday. His wounds may have scabbed over nicely, and his headaches had at last subsided earlier that morning, however, the specter still looked awful. The stitches were obscured underneath the rim (which appeared a bit disfigured even after Mime had snapped it back in place), though as she had to tilt her head back a bit to look at him, he could catch a glimpse of them. There were still signs of bruising on her form, mainly around her neck, which he was convinced were burns. Her tassels were tattered, but still functional as far as he knew.

As he stood before Marjorie, it pained him to see what had become of her. He may not have been much of an acquaintance toward her, but he knew her to be a lively individual. Disregarding the small smile on her face, the clone could tell she was still in agony and hadn't been sleeping. Her movements were feeble, the gleam in her gems and eyes clouded over. He had heard in passing she was having Wigs and Wiles take care of Missy until she could recuperate enough; he could only imagine how the Misdreavus and the other children were handling this sudden change.

And then there was what was going on at home once the tension ebbed. Mew had refused to see anyone when the neighbors came by—he had to fight her out of the bedroom the following day so she could have some sun (and despite the neighbors trying again then, she wouldn't acknowledge them). It was the only success he had, as she had apparently taken on a vow of silence for he could barely get a grunt out of her. With exception of gardening and (he hoped) sleeping, she had of yet to do anything besides sit around and stare off into space. Her "favorite" places thus far were their bedroom and the windowsill in the front room, which she had been sitting on when he left.

Mewtwo rolled his right shoulder a little, briefly cursing his healing process. "I am very sorry for what happened," he muttered, solemnly bowing his head a bit.

She nodded, then glanced away. "I am more sorry for Mew, though... How has she been doing?"

He shook his head. "She has not spoken a word since. She... wanders, but she prefers the garden and the window."

Marjorie's countenance became more gloomy. "I see..." She dazedly peered past him up at the sky. "I feel I should take the blame for what happened. I wasn't careful, but I thought I could make a wrong feel right if you and Mew took the egg as your own. I know how much you two were trying for one, and because it didn't take much effort for me to have another, it just wasn't fair. So I thought I was doing a good deed..." She hung her head to shroud her face in shadow. "I didn't know it was a dud."

The clone averted his gaze, deeply frowning. "It was not your fault, Marjorie."

"I have to suffer the consequences," she replied, sounding a little bold even though she wasn't looking at him. "My dumb decision only ended up hurting my loved ones. Dud or not, what happened was awful, and I feel terrible for it."

Even though she avoided eye-contact, Mewtwo could sense the strength of the guilt and sadness drifting from her. He remembered the day she entrusted the egg into their care. As tired as she was, she was happy to have helped Mew get her wish. He could not recall anything that may have hinted at her having second thoughts, but he hadn't paid close attention to her the moment his mate saw the egg. Marjorie must've preferred to stay out of the spotlight best she could, to distance herself from it. Any and all feelings she had was toward Mew, there was no doubting it.

"I'm a bit jealous of her."

Blinking, he tilted his head. "Hmm?"

The clone caught a hint of a smile before she turned away and her voice softened. "Well... I'm jealous, but I admire her, too. Or should I say that's more toward you?" His heart flipped a little, anxious about what she had to say. "Mew's lucky to have someone who is there for her. I was with Mace for about a few years when you came here, and yet..." She briefly fell silent, her figure appearing to shiver. "I guess I was unlucky or something, but at least I'm not stuck in an unhappy relationship anymore. Still, watching my friends spend time with their mates has made me a bit lonely, and you two have been very happy together. All of my jealousy went into looking for a mate in the wrong places just so I could have the chance of being like you, and I ended up hurting my loved ones in the end..."

It was quick, but Mewtwo caught the glint of a tear dripping off her face. Then she backed into her house to enshroud herself in shadow before looking up at him. One eye glowed softly as she whispered, "Please take care of Mew. When she's ready to talk, let me know, okay?"

All he could do was nod. She returned the gesture, and the door gently swung shut. Sighing through his nose, the clone headed back for the path, unable to shake off an uneasy feeling. He may have felt condolences for what happened, but he didn't know what to do to help. He only visited to check up on her like a good neighbor should, even though it looked like she wanted to be left alone for a while. There was no doubt he had trouble empathizing with others, and since it was mostly Mew who reached out, he obviously lacked proper social skills.

He cursed himself for only making the situation more awkward. He should have been more assertive and demanded Marjorie to let him do something for her. Perhaps then he would be more prepared to return home.

As he approached, Mewtwo noticed the Azumarill standing not too far from the house, looking toward the garden with ears lowered. She had in her hands what appeared to be a small basket filled with berries. Closer inspection showed she was fidgety, in which she immediately tensed up when her ears stiffened and she swerved to look at him. He quickly raised a hand in greeting before he spotted Mew in the flowerbed, her back to them.

"U-Uh... I was out on a walk," she quickly replied, her voice steadily quietening down, "and since I pass by a lot, I thought I'd stop by... It's not much, but I thought maybe..." She dropped her eyes, glancing between Mew and the basket. "I'm sorry, I harvested these nearby. I was thinking she'd like to plant some berry trees, but I forgot it's not berry-planting season. So... you can do what you want with them."

Remembering she had once introduced herself as Aqua, the clone noted this was her second time visiting since she moved to the community, and he didn't know how much she and Mew had known each other. He saw Goddard more often than he did her, so all he had gathered was she had a hard time making friends even though she was happy with their home. She would wave to them if they were ever outside as she passed by, but that was all he would see of her. It slightly puzzled him she would stop by to drop off a gift, yet he welcomed it.

When she held out the basket of berries, Mewtwo accepted it with a sad smile. "Thank you for thinking of her."

Aqua shuffled in place, rubbing an arm. "I only heard in passing about what happened. I knew you two had an egg long before Goddard mentioned you had taken it to work, I would see her with it all the time. She looked so happy... I didn't believe him when he said you didn't look happy because I had seen you looking at it and smiling." Hanging her head, she shyly met his gaze. "Unless... I'm wrong?"

He took comfort in learning his colleagues had been thinking of him, but he did not want to add more to the plate. Far as he was concerned, they should never have the complete details of his personal thoughts. The Golduck was not far off in his speculation, and that he felt should be all he and his mate needed to know for that moment.

With the silent apology, he gave a condensed answer, "I was happy because Mew was happy."

The rabbit's ears twitched as she blinked in surprise, dropping her arms at her side. "Oh..." Her eyes darted around in awkwardness, glancing back at Mew a couple of times. "Well... I hope you both get better," she gave her condolences, quickly bowing. "I hate to think that you both will stop loving each other." Then she suddenly blushed and covered her eyes with a squeak. "Th-That came out wrong! I mean, I sometimes hear you two—n-not like that! U-Um... please don't take it the wrong way, I meant what I said! In that you two really, really—!"

"I will do my best to get us both well."

Aqua stopped flailing about, though her face remained rosy. Scratching at an ear, she cleared her throat and vigorously nodded. "I'm sorry," her voice dropped to a whisper. "Um... please take care of her. I feel bad for not having reached out sooner... so I want to get to know her more." With another bow and look over at Mew, she left with her tail bobbing rhythmically side-to-side. Mewtwo took notice she had a slight waddle to her steps, though he was unsure if it was from her body shape or if she was expecting (if recalling the previously-pregnant Basil was of any indication).

When she disappeared, the clone turned his gaze upon his mate, watching her gently till the soil at a snail's pace. There may have been indication she was aware of the conversation or visit, but she was quiet the entire time, just absentmindedly tending to the flowers. With her head down, her sunhat kept her face shielded from all sides, something Mewtwo brushed off as he entered the house. Strolling into the kitchen, he scarcely glanced down at the uneaten breakfast before he gathered the dishes and cookware to toss them in the sink, setting the basket aside on the counter. His mind wandered as he washed and dried everything off, unable to stick to one cohesive thought at a time.

Once he finished in the kitchen, he passed by their bedroom and locked himself in the study, collapsing in the seat by the window. He stared blearily at the room, taking in the shelves of books and trinkets, the tied-up stacks of notes and blueprints on top and underneath the cluttered desk, the workbench still left untidy from the last project, and the bed in the corner he had neglected to fix up from when he awoke. Gaze drifting to the large window, he flicked his tail through the curtains for a peek outside, still unable to gather his thoughts.

It had been three days since he had shut himself away from the community; three days shunned from his mate's life, three days isolated from the bedroom. Nothing but three days of silence and tension, but he did nothing worthwhile. He could not focus on any projects that he knew he had time for, nor could he do research or rest. If there was work to be done outside the home, he had no energy for them. There was no routine outside of fixing dinner on the dot that Mew could not be coaxed into eating. It was a wonder he got himself out of the house to go visit Marjorie, even though it turned out to be somewhat of a waste of time.

Just three days, and five years were going down the drain.

Somehow, deep down, Mewtwo knew something like this would happen. He had overlooked her problems in attempt to give her happiness, and lied to keep his true feelings hidden from her. They were two different beings complete with contrasting views. She wanted kittens, to live a life she was denied from birth. He felt unfit to be a father because of his background, and did not want to subject his offspring to it, even if they would be natural. It was fine for him to be sterile, but not Mew. They may both have selfish desires, but who deserved the consequences most? Who took their selfishness too far? Fate was cruel to the both of them—he just had to wonder if he was being punished more, and she got caught in the crossfires.

She deserved someone better than he. He was one out of a million other choices, she did not have to be with him. There had to be another Pokémon out there with whom she would be much happier with. She never knew of her infertility prior to meeting him, so if she had given up on him, she would have never found out. Ignorance is bliss, so they say.

...unless her multiple mates were the result of her not getting pregnant?

He frowned profoundly at the thought, his hand briefly gripping the chair. It did not sound right she would have mated as many times as she claimed. It was common belief that normal Pokémon only mated for the sole purpose of procreating, though he never truly believed sexual urges were dormant until then due to biological obligation. If what Mew told him was true, she found herself a mate the first time around, suggesting she had developed urges. So if she never had a heat cycle, or at least not for a long time when she became sexually mature, then how did she have fifteen-or-so mates? She was not that old, he knew that much. She would have had to approach them outside the typical mating season, and made the first move in seducing the other. If the first time or two did not satisfy, who really would leave: the male, or she? And why did they part?

His core shuddered as it sank in. Would that suggest Mew had been using him the entire time? Those years he put up with her, had she actually tried to seduce him despite him never falling for it? Was she that desperate enough to tolerate him for as long as it took for him to warm up to her? And why him, specifically? Did she really want children that badly, or did she have sex for the sake of her own pleasure?

Mewtwo quickly shot up to tinker around with what he had on the workbench to occupy his thoughts with something more productive. That was in the past, and they ended up together anyway. They needed to be by themselves presently before working everything out, he kept telling himself. With all that free time on his hands, he should be using it on perfecting a few projects like he should have been doing from the start. He will feel better by then, and hopefully so will Mew, and then they can get the help they needed to continue where they left off. Life will return to normal, and it will be nothing more than a memory.

...dammit, why wasn't that part cooperating with the other?

Gritting his teeth, the clone dropped everything to storm across for the desk, slamming his palms on the surface and staring at the papers. He trembled slightly, though he tried to ignore it, drumming his fingers for no reason other than to hear something over his breathing. Eyes flickering between the desk and bookshelf, he scanned the book spines repeatedly, not finding anything he was remotely interested in that moment but kept trying to distract himself. So he spun around to fix the bed and pillows, pushing on the mattress to test its durability.

...might as well go for another walk if he couldn't bother making up his mind.

Upon exiting the study, he caught sight of Mew rounding the corner, the shade of her sunhat covering her eyes. She paused at their bedroom with her hand on the knob, facing him while not necessarily making eye-contact. He blearily stared at her, waiting to see if she would make a move, even if it was the twitch of a finger. Nothing happened between them for several seconds before he closed the door and walked by her, barely stealing a glance down at her figure. He scarcely cleared the kitchen when he heard her enter their room, and the house fell silent once more.

The first day had nearly destroyed him, and yet there he stood without a flinch. He had estimated in another three days, they'd be acting like the other never existed if they kept it up. Well, one of them would, he amended.

Moments later, the door gently closed behind him, and she brushed past for the open front door which she shut with her tail. Keeping his gaze fixated where she left, Mewtwo hesitantly followed, but paused to press his ear to the wood. As expected, he heard nothing, though he didn't know what he was thinking he would hear. Gardening wasn't exactly a loud hobby when it came to Mew.

Slowly, he opened the door enough to peer at her through the crack. She had knelt back down where he last saw her, still tilling the soil, in which he wondered if she was really paying attention as she had dug deep enough to start exposing the roots. Glancing around, he noticed the unusual number of vegetation scattered about and the clippers laying nearby. Studying the plants, he found himself saddened to see abnormal bare spots and signs of wilting in the leaves. As much as he knew he should stop her from further destroying her work, Mewtwo couldn't bring himself to. Unless she was going to set fire to them or some other hazard, he felt under no obligation to do a thing about it since the garden was hers to begin with.

But it'd be a shame to see it go to shambles, he was at least willing to admit.

Withdrawing back inside to lean against the door frame, he stared up at the ceiling and ran his hand down a side of his face. His motivation for a walk gone, he felt a need to take his mind off of his mate's sad state, but she stuck to his thoughts like a Sticky Barb. Though unable to sense her emotions since that day, he couldn't help thinking back to the last surge before the connection was cut. Everything had been unbalanced and unstable, one emotion always growing stronger than the others before waning. She had a hard time believing what she truly felt in those moments, conflicting with her loving, forgiving side to the point of a meltdown. He wondered if it was possible for someone to become emotionless through trauma, or at least as a sign of repression.

With a slow sigh, Mewtwo glanced out the window. The afternoon was fast approaching, and though he still made the effort to fix breakfast and dinner, Mew had not eaten in three days. He chose to not make her eat believing she would eventually cave to hunger, but it was becoming increasingly clear she had stopped caring. At this rate, she was going to starve to death if he continued to step aside.

He remembered he had saved her share of the stew he made the previous night, so it was still good enough to reheat. Taking in a breath, he walked into the kitchen to pull out the food from storage and a small pot that he set on the stove. The moment he began heating up the stew, he heard her enter the house, and knew without turning around she was not leaving the living room. The thought bothered him more than believed it should, but at least he wouldn't have to fight her inside if she were to struggle while holding the clippers.

After stirring for nearly five minutes, the food was heated to an acceptable temperature. Pouring it all into a bowl, Mewtwo placed it on her side of the table along with a spoon, then stepped out of the kitchen to turn toward where Mew sat on the windowsill. At a distance from the back, she appeared more gaunt just from the way she was propped against the edge, limp like a worn-out doll. But not even a gust of wind could knock her off her spot.

Clenching his hands, the clone strolled into the living room to pause a few feet behind her, and took a breath. "Mew, it is time to eat."

As to be expected, there was not a twitch to be seen. The sunlight dimmed for the gray to wash into the room, and it was like the temperature sharply dropped several degrees. He fought back the shiver to clear his throat and try again:

"I know you heard me. Please come to the kitchen and eat."

Mew still remained unresponsive.

Fighting back his frustration, he raised his voice and repeated, "Mew, please come to the kitchen and eat."

His eyes darted to her ear when it gently flicked, the first movement he had seen for a while. Still unmoving from her seat, there came a soft murmur, whether the result of a long silence or lack of caring, "...not hungry..."

Mewtwo was not pleased with the response. "You have not eaten in days. I am not standing back and watching you waste away another minute."

"I don't care anymore..."

Ignoring the sting in his heart, he stepped closer and without hesitation lay his hands on her shoulders. Notably, she tensed up, but said not a word. "You can come back to the window when you are finished," he said, losing his patience. "I just want you to eat something, please."

She kept quiet, still refusing to look at him.

Gritting his teeth, Mewtwo snatched her by the arm and pulled her away to guide her to the kitchen. She was faltering in levitation, but not entirely limp until he forcibly sat her down in her chair. With a jolt, her dull eyes went wide as she began to struggle, shaking her head. He didn't fight with her long to keep her in place, squeezing her shoulders and pushing her down until she settled, though she continued to shiver and stare even when he stuck the spoon in her hand.

"You may leave the table after you eat," he said gruffly, grasping the sides of the chair.

Amidst her heavy breathing, Mew whimpered quietly to herself, "I'm not hungry."

"I do not care," he snapped, her ears flattening as she flinched. "You need to eat something, even if it is only a few bites."

The spoon shook in her grasp when her body tensed. "I-I'm tired..."

Scowling, Mewtwo yanked it away and scooped up some pieces of meat and potatoes, holding it before her. "Eat," he demanded.

When she turned her face away, he grasped her jaw with his free hand to twist her back to the spoon, prying her mouth open to give her the first morsel. With a yell, she thrashed and shoved it away before he could get it in, the utensil slipping from his fingers and the bowl flipping over. "I don't want it!" she spat, shaking her head vigorously.

Something in his head snapped before the clone could compose himself. Blue flashed as he swung his hand, landing a strike on her cheek. The force shot her out of the chair and onto her side, knocking the breath out of her. Her eyes darted over to him, and he glared back into her fearful gaze, taking in her trembling figure. As the teal film faded from his vision, an icy current flowed about his body, his arm dropping to his side. The anger quickly flushed out of his system with the realization of what he had done.

Hurdling over the chair, Mewtwo dropped to his knees, shakily and hesitantly reaching out for her. "Mew, I am very sorry!" he gasped out, feeling his chest hollow out when she moved to scoot away, but continued to approach. "I was out of line—!"

"Don't touch me!" Moving further from him, she pressed a paw to her swelling cheek, tears welling in her eyes. She ducked her head close to her chest when a choked sob rolled through her body. "Get away from me!"

For a few moments, the clone didn't move as the words permeated his thoughts, quickly becoming the main focus. Before he knew it, his surroundings became a blur as he moved on his own, exiting the kitchen without a final glance. If she made any other sound or movement, he was unaware of it by the time he stormed out the door, going wherever his body took him.

"Mama, can Missy and me have a snack?"

Without glancing at her daughter as she fed Iggly, Wigs corrected, "It's 'Missy and I', Jig."

She grumbled to herself slightly before speaking back up, "Can Missy and I have a snack?" And after a small pause, she added, "Please?"

"Is Missy done with her lunch?"

Jig looked over at her friend as the specter wordlessly took a small bite of rice, her main meal appearing untouched. Looking rapidly between her mother and Missy, she just shrugged hesitantly. "Uh... well... can we have a snack when she's done?"

"Good grief, Jig," her brother muttered across from her. "If you wouldn't eat so fast, you wouldn't have to wait so long. And you end up finishing hers anyway."

"Lyle, keep your comments to yourself, please," Wigs said, raising her brow at him.

"Yeah, Lyle! Keep your comments to yourself!" And Jig stuck her tongue out, which he stuttered over trying to point it out to his mother.

Giving warning glances to her children, Wigs looked over at Missy and her still-full plate, a small frown on her lips. "Is everything okay, dear?" she asked.

The Misdreavus just briefly nodded, her eyes still drooped. There had been little change in her demeanor since she came to stay at the house, it was sensed by everyone. If she spoke (which was rare) it was never above a whisper, she ate bits and pieces at her own pace even when the food was stone cold, she had no energy to play with Jig, and it was possible she wasn't sleeping. Marjorie had of yet to come for her even though she was at home.

Iggly fussed a little in his highchair, trying to push himself out until his mother returned her attention to him. "Oh, don't you start," she sighed. "Just a couple more bites."

There then came a sudden loud thud at the front door, bringing her children to alertness while her ears flitted. Before she could stop her, Jig screamed "I'LL GET IT!" and bounced out of the kitchen. She pulled open the door with a large smile only to tilt her head in confusion. "What happened, Mister Mewtwo?"

Brows raised, Wigs scooped the infant into her arms and hurried into the front room, gently patting her daughter on the head as she turned to the large feline. "Oh, Mewtwo! Do... you need something?"

He was alone, there was no sign of Mew with him. Quickly scanning his figure, she knew something had happened from the way his normally-proud stature was slumped in exhaustion, and his sharp eyes were dull and unfocused. He appeared to be struggling for a breath judging from his ragged exhales.

Handing Iggly to Jig before shooing her away, she stepped outside. "Is something wrong?" she whispered, clasping her hands together. "What happened? Where's Mew?"

For a brief moment, his face lit up in awareness long enough to rasp out, "I need you to look after Mew for a few days."

Fearing the worst, the Wigglytuff let her anxiety get to her. "What's wrong, Mewtwo? Why aren't you with Mew?"

"I just need to be alone until then."

Right as she was about to question him again, Mewtwo shot up into the air and quickly disappeared into the clouds. Dropping her eyes in thought, she backed into the house to shout, "Lyle, Jig, watch Iggly for me! If your father comes home before I do, tell him I'm with Mew!"

In unison, they let out a "What?" just as she was closing the door, bringing out a small groan from her. She poked her head back in to say, "Just stay here!" and then left. Hurrying as fast as she could down the hill, she mentally went through what may have happened. The last she saw of Mew was the day after the incident, and she had refused to look at her and the others. Mewtwo had to speak on her behalf and apologize even though personally she had already forgiven her, and wished her a speedy recovery.

As Rachelle's place was along the way, she stopped by to fetch her. Her mate was still home and was quick to understand the sense of emergency, though the children watched them leave with confused looks as a fussy Chester whined for his mother. Reaching Mew's house momentarily, the first thing they noticed was the ruined garden and the wide-open door which they scarcely slowed down for. Running inside, they shot for the kitchen and gasped at the sight of Mew curled on the floor beside a tipped-over chair.

"Oh, my goodness! Mew, what happened?!" Wigs exclaimed, kneeling at her side.

"Don't touch me!" the feline shrieked, curving more in on herself and grasping her head.

Pulling away, she looked up at Rachelle with wide eyes, then glanced up at the table to find a spilled bowl of stew. Her companion hissed under her breath, small sparks emitting from her cheeks. "Looks like he finally snapped and took off. This is Mace all over again."

Shaking her head, the rabbit got to her feet. "Mewtwo's better than that. Whatever happened here, he'll be back to fix it."

"Is that what he told you?"

Mew whimpered for a few moments before Wigs gave a curt, but sad nod.

He missed his nomadic days—the nostalgia had hit him hard when he traveled wherever the wind took him. Flight had allowed him to clear his mind, bringing peace and silence. The endless sky was always changing, it never looked the same twice even if he passed the same land below multiple times. If he could, he would live in the sky and fly around the world endlessly.

Unfortunately, as much as he wanted those days back, fate did not seem to be kind to him.

It was no vacation, Mewtwo couldn't relax as much as he wanted. Day and night, each minute was spent reflecting back on his life, trying to pinpoint his mistakes and successes at the forks in the road—indeed, there were many since the day of his birth. There was no doubt his life would be vastly different had he chosen the other option: If he hadn't destroyed the lab and his creators, he could still be treated as an experiment; if he hadn't followed Giovanni, he could have destroyed himself if not worse. Likewise had he stayed with him, would they have taken over the world? If he didn't declare war against the world, would he have learned about the value of life? Would he still have created his clone army, whom are now living their own lives?

Would he still be alive?

The clone stared wearily down at the city from atop the highest skyscraper, lightly swaying in place as his vision unfocused. The lights weren't putting him in a trance, nor were there any high traces of carbon monoxide, he was just too lost in thought to focus on his balance nor give the humans an inkling of attention. It had been a while since he had last surveyed them even though he never fully lost interest. As much as he would probably find solace in returning to his old lifestyle, he didn't have the motivation for it. He also hadn't slept, which normally wouldn't have bothered him, but for five years, he had slipped into a schedule he couldn't easily shake off after a few days.

Mewtwo tilted his head back to gaze up at the sky, disappointed it was a cloudy night. So he was to be denied of what he wanted the most. Typical he'd have to go elsewhere. With a slow sigh, he gently pushed off to leave the city behind, heading for the clouds. His weariness made flight shakier than it had earlier, causing him to frown in concern. There wasn't going to be a chance he would push himself to the limit and still land smoothly the next time he stopped. He had no choice but to rest for a while.

He recalled the city was near a beach with moderate cliff sides that faced east. If he could find a small cavern, he'd wake up with the sun if he ended up falling asleep for the night. Not what he really wanted, but he'd live.

The clouds started to thin out the closer he approached his destination, though not enough for his liking. He sighed in displeasure, and shrugged it off when he examined the first opening he found. It was empty, and there was enough room for him to slip toward the back, he would just have to crawl. With a scowl, Mewtwo hopped to another ledge for a second choice—and repeated it for a few more times. The cave he settled for was higher up on the cliffside, large enough for him to stand up without any problems, and deep enough he could rest in the shadows.

As his body slumped where he sat, he found himself still blearily staring over the horizon. What normally would have relaxed him had no effect on him. The smell of the sea hardly made his nose wrinkle, the sound of waves quickly became background noise that would go in-and-out of focus... he couldn't enjoy it. He tried to shrug it off with an excuse the moon wasn't full and out in the open, but he refused to make the attempt to believe in excuses. There was no reason why a quiet observation would not soothe him.

"Take me with you."

Mewtwo blinked, straightening up to stare intently out of the cave. For a moment, he thought he saw Mew right at the entrance, but he quickly dismissed it. With a slow sigh, he fell back and shut his eyes, crossing his arms. He really needed his sleep if he was seeing things.

He could not help reminiscing about the first night the two were together, at how quick it was for them to go from friends to mates. It was awkward and a bit painful from the start, but they brought down the walls between them as time went on, free to share body and soul, and ultimately their lives with each other. For better or worse, he saw Mew in a different light the more he got to know her. She was lonely and broken, yet with a smile she held tight to anything of worth that came her way to keep herself stable. That was likely the reason she had kept returning to him when he did not want her, and once he allowed her to be in his life, she remained at his side. He had to grow accustomed to her presence from then-on.

What did she see in him during those days? Why was she not bothered by him, if at all? Was she just that desperate enough to put up with him for years so he could at least acknowledge her? Or did she really see more to him than she was willing to admit?

How was she sure they would love each other?

"Take good care of me, Mewtwo..."

The clone shivered and hurriedly glanced around. He could swear it felt like Mew was right beside him, whispering into his ear, but he knew it was just a memory. For whatever reason, just remembering the one night led to another, almost like his archives were set on "search related". Unless he were to think of something else—

"You're mean, Mewtwo. Stop making fun of me!"

—what did that have to do with the previous memory? And though he remembered she would get upset at his teasing, all he could see in his mind's eye was her smile. She was happy to be with him.

"So no matter what, Mewtwo, tell the truth."

"I want kittens."

Happy... shy... playful... awkward... One by one, his fond memories of her overlapped one-another. It was hard to tell how well it flowed if they were all not in order, as they did not always fit to what she had said.

Why? Why now of all times for him to remember her? Correction—why did he not remember her the whole time he was gone? Were these not something he cherished, memories that he could look back on when he was alone?

"It's okay, Mewtwo. ...I want to return the favor."

"Every one of them... I hated it..."

"I want to keep trying. Mewtwo and I... we'll keep trying."

Five years... all of that began from a rough start. What kept him from refusing her that night? He was in no mood to argue with her, and all of her reasons were more like excuses than her true feelings of the ordeal, not once was he convinced to agree. And yet he still gave her a choice instead of just leaving her behind without looking back. It was odd, he usually did so whenever he couldn't put up with her anymore, and though she would complain and call him names, she continued to visit him knowing he'd do it again. So how was it he gave her a chance? They were not the best of friends then as they were not always on good terms, he had just enjoyed her company enough to say she was more than just an acquaintance.

Prior to that night, Mew had sometimes cried to try making him feel bad for rejecting any suggestions she had set her mind to. Such a childish act never fooled him, even though at the end of the day she got her way somehow or another. That moment was different. She was upset, yes, but there was no way she would have lied about it. She was too naïve (or, dare he say, pure) to try and pass it off as one of her tricks. Why she would suddenly open her heart as such baffled him, there was no reason to bring it up, no segue in the conversation that had ended.

Still, she was legitimately sad that night. He couldn't put his finger on how it is something could be just off for a happy soul to be sad. He may not have been pleased with how sickeningly naïve she was, but she was still happy.

He just could not deny that in the end she got what she wanted.

"I want to adopt it, Mewtwo. It's my final answer."

"How about Lucky? Because he or she is lucky... Lucky is lucky."

"I want the baby to sleep with us. It's just for tonight."

"Say 'good morning' to Daddy, Lucky."

Mewtwo shook his head as he ran a hand down his face. He did not want to remember it. Mental illness or something else, it had been five years, and their bond had grown strong. How could a simple choice, a new addition to their life, cost them everything?

"I... miss you..."

"Please... love me again."

"Stop pretending you know these things, because you don't."

"...they didn't care for me!"

"What makes you think you're right about Lucky?"

"How do I know you're telling the truth this time?"

"SAVE MY BABY! SAVE HIM!"

All of that time it took to put herself back together... the Mew he knew and loved all those years went to waste. She was unable to take it any longer, and just collapsed in on herself before his eyes. Could he truly blame her for what was beyond their control? But in the case of her actions, he could have prevented it had he not overlooked the signs for too long.

"The night we met, I hated myself."

"You were the first who made love to me... because you're different..."

"Since you know my name... can I have yours?"

"This isn't like you, Mewtwo..."

"Don't touch me!"

"I-I thought we were mates, Mewtwo!"

Why did he not push her out of his mind? He left home so he could clear his thoughts and calmly come up with a solution, right? What kept him from pushing away all of his negative thoughts and memories if they had nothing but anger and sadness? What was the point? What was he to learn from all of it?

"I think I'm starting to know why..."

"You're no different from them!"

"...I want to be for life."

"Why did you lie for five years?!"

"...why I fell in love with you."

Through his mind's eye, he saw her before him, just within reach. She was coy, a faint blush on her cheeks as she shifted in place and clasped her hands together. Her bright blue irises met his gaze before she scrunched her eyes shut, giving him a warm smile.

"I love you."

Mew was happy.

He loved it when she was happy.

It hurt to breathe, and his vision was irritably watery no matter how much he tried to blink it away. Despite being alone, Mewtwo fretted over his pride, attempting to be stoic and calm so he could think. There was no need for him to get emotional, especially not after all this time he had to himself.

...what am I doing here?

The thought made him flinch as he hesitantly got to his feet and stepped to the entrance. Casting his eyes to the sky, he paused at the quarter moon above. What normally brought him peace caused his already-anxious heart to clench tighter at that moment. As the memories kept flooding in, he desired for the both of them to be there and gaze at the moon together like days past. Even if it was for personal reflection, to have her by his side as comfort would be plentiful enough.

I should not have left her alone.

Slowly, he stepped to the ledge to gaze out at the horizon, wiping at his eyes. Then he looked at his hand, the one covered in the blood of lives he took, yet had entwined with hers out of kindness and love, in adoration and in intimacy. It was the same one that had built a perfect cloning machine as well as their home. It was the one that pat a young child on the head, gently held an egg even when he had stopped caring... and struck his mate in anger.

A whole life was carried out and nearly destroyed by his own hands. And another life was pieced back together and broken apart in the very same pair. His hands knew nothing but destruction and creation, in a rather cruel but predictable pattern. He already had the destructive pattern come to pass, so now he can create again—a thought that gave him some hope for the future as he shot off over the ocean.

Just as long as he was not too late.

Mew rolled to her other side for the umpteenth time, letting out a moan of dissatisfaction when nothing changed. For some reason she couldn't sleep, whether it was because the moonlight was spilling in, or she wasn't feeling well. Her stomach felt hollow even though she did eat what Wigs had made for her. Maybe it just didn't settle right? Dinner was not too long ago, and she had wanted to go to bed early. Could it lead to indigestion? She did not want to deal with anything at the moment, and it was too cold outside.

She hugged her pillow when she curled into a ball, staring at the wall. For the past few nights, she had been losing sleep. It was very odd, she did not have that problem before. It may have been about a week since he moved out of the bedroom, but she had not been too bothered by it. She missed having his presence beside her, yet it was probably because she knew he was just down the hall. There was a bit of comfort to know she was not completely alone in the house, and it was gone when he had left.

Ah, that could be what was bothering her. There was the issue of them hardly speaking to each other, but having him out of the house was something else entirely. She was not used to him being gone overnight, and half a week was like torture to her.

Brows furrowing, Mew flipped over and her eyes drifted to his pillow. She never thought about having the entire bed to herself, she was used to being on her side with the occasional cozying up to her mate. Releasing hers, she pulled it closer to bury her face in it. After a few moments, she caught his scent; it was faint, but it was there, the musk she could swear was metallic. Deeply breathing it in made her long for his presence, to be comforted by him.

Lifting her head, she wiped at her eyes with a small sniffle. "I miss him..." she murmured. "It's... been a long while."

A long while since she last held him, she amended. Since that day, he had stopped laying a finger on her despite being close enough at times to where she could just reach out and touch him. If there was one other thing she missed besides having him sleeping next to her, it was him. She missed the convenience of being able to snuggle up to him whenever she wanted, to feel his touches rake through her fur and skin, for their fingers to lace as they gradually became more intimate. And yet when he took her by the hand, she shunned him, and he ended up bringing harm in the end.

Mew shivered, laying flat against the pillow with a whimper, loosely wrapping herself about it. With it pressed against her close and tight as she could, she imagined him holding her to his chest. A prickle ran up her back that caused her to arch with a quiet gasp, her body lightly skimming him—it left behind a sensual sensation. She pushed harder, clawing her fingers into him for a better grip, leaving her slightly breathless when she trembled. Resting her forehead against him, her eyelids fluttered shut as she swallowed.

Slowly, rhythmically, she stroked her pelvis along his torso, curving her spine and ballasting on her knees. With every breath she expelled, her arms shook, even when she rested on her elbows. A palpitation in her chest and churn in her gut was steadily ruining the mood, bringing a nagging feeling with it. Even so, she dismissed it as her being nervous; it was not often she would make the first move. Her upper body strength wasn't impressive, however, so it wasn't long before she collapsed back on her stomach, face burying into his sternum. Then to cover up her folly, she brushed her lips against fur a few times before licking him.

And immediately she pushed herself off, swiping at her tongue and gazing down at the pillow.

Mew frowned, staring fixated at it while still straddling it. It was very odd, she had to admit, yet somehow she felt empty knowing it wasn't the real deal. Such a shame, too, she was willing to get into the long-awaited mood.

Letting out a small groan, she rubbed her neck. "I really need to sleep," she grumbled, flopping onto her back and snuggling into the covers.

Her eyes closed a bit, but she blinked up not moments later with a jolt. It took a second to comprehend, but there was Mewtwo kneeling above her with a smile and twinkle in his eye. She was hesitant, giving a slight skeptical look until he ran a finger along her cheek. Her lips parted in a sigh, her eyelids drooping when he leaned in. He was gentle, holding her by the chin and keeping it slow with pecks and light love bites. Mew's impatience, however, was rapidly climbing as she raised a leg to rest her knee against his ribs. He raked his fingers down her form to hold it against him, giving small squeezes so she gasped and hardened the kiss. She began to pace herself, rocking back and forth and making sure there was skin contact. Bracing her by the neck, the clone took care slipping down her body, massaging with his lips where she was the most sensitive, anywhere from her throat to her abdomen where he felt each and every teat.

The closer he got, the more she began to feel the need for him, a damp throbbing in her nether regions. Throwing her head back, she spread her legs out far as they could go, and within moments, his tongue brushed against sensitive flesh, bringing her mouth to drop open. He maintained a steady pace, easing her more into arousal. She tensed, keeping her eyes closed as much as she wanted to look. Her breath escaped as a sharp gasp when he licked inside the entrance, giving her the assumption he was smirking in delight at her reaction.

He had always known her body better than she, she was not afraid to admit it. Thus, he knew how to make her feel safe, relaxed, and happy as he pleasured her. It was easy to forget about the bad thoughts that would creep in on her, all she had to do was focus. Even if for a moment, only he existed for her. He made her feel good about herself.

Mew was close to tears once he deepened his exploration. "It's so warm," she mewled to herself in between breaths, then nervously swallowed before speaking up a little for him to hear. "You're so warm, Mewtwo... I-I remember being so scared to have you, but... but you felt so good. I liked having you... b-because you're so... ah!" She tensed up some more from his prodding, about to curl in on herself, but kept still a bit longer for him. The heat growing in her lower region was leaving her covered in a film of perspiration.

Biting her lip, she lolled her head to the side, keeping her watery eyes shut. "Mewtwo... I-I was your first, right? You were scared, too, weren't you? I don't blame you, I'm so small, and—mmm!—you're so big. I don't know how we managed, but we did. I don't remember ever having a partner be as big as you... if they were, they hurt me. And I don't like remembering being hurt. I was hurt so many times..." She hiccuped out a sob, a tear slipping down her cheek. The throbbing ceased for a brief moment until she returned her thoughts toward her mate. "Y-You hurt me, Mewtwo... a-and it doesn't feel right. And yet... and yet you're here... ohh... mmm! And yet I can't be without you! You're so nice, s-so understanding! And so good!"

Mew tensed some more as she neared her peak. She squirmed to get him to quicken for that one right brush that will finish it. He never missed an opportunity.

"M-Mewtwo... ah! More! Please hurry!"

She was nearly there, she could taste it. It was there before her reach, the center of her ecstasy, the very pinnacle of her love for him. Her heart pounded loudly in anticipation, her watering mouth readily dropping open for that one special cry. She threw her head back, feeling the sweat pool beneath her.

"Yes... oh, Mewtwo! There, right there—ahh!"

Her breath caught in a gasp, feeling herself lift from where she lay. He lingered inside her, gently grazing her sensitive, quivering walls as she writhed. After having ignored it for the entire duration, the hollow sensation painfully spread through her body, the remnants of her short-lived orgasm filling in the gaps. A pitiful moan escaped her lips almost in a huff when she landed back on the bed.

Her eyes flew open to the dizzying world, looking past her blurred vision to stare at the ceiling. Sweat stuck to the back of her neck, which she noticed was a bit stiff. It ached to just barely tilt her head, her breaths ragged and slightly gurgled. When her legs twitched, she felt no presence between them, no other movement or familiar warmth. There was nothing to accompany the wet prickle to give her a sense of closure.

As her eyesight refocused, Mew carefully withdrew her arms from the covers, wincing at how heavy her right limb suddenly became. Rolling over to rest it on her pillow, she gawked at her fingers for a silent moment while it all sank in. Slowly, she flexed them to correct the blood flow, and to feel and hear the viscous fluid rub against skin as it gleamed in the moonlight.