Chapter 28
Sal, Mewtwo, Henry and Anaca were all sitting around Anaca's dinner table. The group had just finished eating and were simply relaxing at the moment.
"Hey Anaca," The younger girl gave Sal her attention as she was addressed. "Do you know of any good Pokémon doctors?" Sal figured that a business like the Haddelle's must know at least one doctor.
Anaca grinned a bit at the irony. "My mom's a fully licensed Pokémon doctor," she said, and Mewtwo raised a brow at the news. "But she's away as you can see, and won't be back for a while."
-Not to abuse your selfless hospitality more than we have already Anaca, but we must leave soon, - Mewtwo said. -I am quite familiar with the mountains of Johto - I lived in the area for a year- and they are a horrid place to be traveling through in the winter. -
"I don't get it though," Anaca said with a frown. " None of your Pokémon seem as if they need a doctor..."
-I have some... medical concerns, and although I have a fair amount of knowledge of medicine myself, I believe that I should speak with a physician, to ease both our minds,- Mewtwo said, turning his gaze to his nervous Trainer as he spoke.
" So Sal, if you and your Pokémon are headed to the mountains of Johto...," Henry smacked his lips, thinking. " ...You'll have to pass through Ecruteak City, so why don't you pay my father a quick visit? He's also a doctor, and I'm certain that he would be able to help."
" Henry..." Sal really wasn't sure how to respond.
-Thank you.- Mewtwo finished for her.
"Don't mention it," Henry said. "Besides, my parents will be delighted to meet the both of you, as well as Rose and Xanthos." Henry and Anaca exchanged bemused looks at the idea of Henry's parents meeting Sal and her team.
Anaca got up to gather up the plates and serving bowls left over from the meal, and as Sal and Henry made to help her, Mewtwo also stood up stiffly. He raised his hand, his eyes glowing blue, and a white circular container appeared in his hand.
-Anaca, may I use this? - The catlike Pokémon held up the container for the hatchery worker to see.
Sal couldn't make out what Mewtwo had, but Anaca seemed to recognize it instantly. "I don't mind, but are you sure that that one isn't going to be too strong for you?" she asked. " I usually only use that one for heavily armored or larger Pokémon."
-I will be fine, - Mewtwo assured her.- Sal, will you come with me please?-
Mystified, Sal followed her Pokémon, and noticed that he wasn't physically moving - he was using his powers to levitate himself wherever he needed to go. He took a slight detour to one of the bathrooms and found a large, clean towel, which he took with him
" Are you ok?" Sal asked him.
-No, - he answered, but said no more until he had lead Sal back to the room that served as her room while she was a guest at the hatchery. The room's walls were a pastel green, and a large window faced the east. A few potted plants decorated the room, and a dresser sat against the northern wall. Mewtwo seemed to prefer Sal's guest room over his own private room down with the other Pokémon, and Sal didn't mind him coming here to relax, because it was much quieter.
The Pokémon set the jar he had borrowed from Anaca down on the oak nightstand that matched the dresser, and closed the curtains of the windows against the eastern wall with a flick of his hand. He then spread out the towel over the comforter, and eased himself gingerly onto the bed, laying himself out face down more slowly than normal.
-That muscle relaxant I borrowed from Anaca, - Mewtwo said, gesturing to the container without looking up. -Apply it, please. -
" You...want me to give you a massage?" Sal asked, her brow wrinkling.
-Preferably. -
" But I'm not a masseuse."
-Try. I would prefer a pathetic attempt at a massage from you over a deep tissue massage from a paid stranger, - he said. -Hmmm, remind me to show you how to perform a deep tissue massage,- he said, as Sal sat beside where he lay on the bed and grabbed the container.
"Since when are you a masseuse?" Sal asked. "And how much of this do I use?"
-Since my time on New Island - one can learn many things over the Internet - and just cover me with it, - Mewtwo answered. Sal opened the container and wrinkled her nose slightly at the blue substance. Even to her human senses, the minty smell of the relaxant was potent, and she realized that it must be overpowering to Mewtwo's keener nose.
She began applying the gooey gel like relaxant to Mewtwo's back, and within seconds her hands felt cold and tingly.
"Whoa, this stuff feels weird," she muttered softly.
-Only because you have it on your hands. Rub it everywhere please, my lower back, my legs and arms, my tail... My body aches. Press as hard as you can. -
As Sal finished Mewtwo's lower back, she did as he had asked and pressing hard as she slid her thumbs up along either side of his spine.
-Mmmm, you are not nearly as terrible at this as you believe yourself to be, - Mewtwo said. Sal slid her relaxant-covered hands over his cerebral cord and she heard him inhale sharply. -I did not mean for you to put this there! -
" I'm sorry, I didn't know, I didn't think about it. Are you gonna be ok, is that gonna hurt you?"
-It is my error for neglecting to mention it, - Mewtwo said. -It will not harm me, it is only like the sensation the relaxant leaves on your hands, only stronger because my cerebral cord is far more sensitive. -
"It's all over your cord now..." Sal frowned. " Wait, maybe..." Starting at the bottom, she began to rub her fingers in tiny circles as softly as she could, allowing the gel to spread over his cord even more.
-Oh! That... is surprisingly pleasant. I was preparing for it to hurt...- Mewtwo said, and began to purr. She rubbed his neck and shoulders and arms before returning to his back and then skipping down to his tail and calves, before working back upwards again. She noticed Mewtwo's purring was a lot louder than it had been before, and his breath had quickened. Gold sparkles flecked his magenta tipped aura.
"Are you okay?"
-Never better, - he answered, sounding oddly breathless. Sal ran her hands down along his spine again, and skipped down to his feet. He hadn't specifically requested it, but sighed happily as she rubbed them.
She then proceeded to rub his shoulders again, but not as intensely as she had been before, moving her hands gently and slowly. Mewtwo's breathing slowed, and although he was still purring, it wasn't as loud as before.
-You may be finished now, if you'd like, - Mewtwo said. -You did far more than I expected you to, thank you. -
Sal wrapped her arms about his upper body lovingly, sighing into the now minty scent of his fur. "You don't seem like you want to move," she said with a smile.
- No, I do not, - Mewtwo admitted. -However, you need your sleep - -
" If you don't wanna go, then stay," Sal said. " But I need to get this stuff off of my hands and get ready for bed," she said, and got up reluctantly, grabbing her jamies and heading off into the bathroom. When she came back, Mewtwo had tossed the towel he had been lying on in the clothes hamper in the corner and had made himself comfortable under the thick covers. Sal crawled into bed on the opposite side and rolled over, her back to her Pokémon. "Goodnight," she said softly.
She suddenly felt a warm body press against her own, and Mewtwo unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her. -Why are you over there? We have slept huddled together on the couch in Pokémon Centers before. -
"You have sleeping with me lately," Sal relented slowly.
-Yes, Damien would be furious if he ever knew, - Mewtwo said deviously, and Sal rolled over to face him, wide eyed.
"Mewtwo!" Her hand flew to her mouth subconsciously. "That is wrong on so many levels!" The psychic only smirked in response.
Mewtwo rolled away from her, chuckling. -You humans are so very sensitive, - he said.
"You just like to mess with people's heads!" Sal said. Mewtwo nodded in acceptance of her accusation, then turned back over and pulled his Trainer close to him again. " What has gotten into you?" she questioned. " Are you just feeling snuggly or something?"
-I suppose... I do not quite understand it myself...- he said, purring in her ear.
"And yet you didn't want me to even touch you in Violet City, but look at you now," Sal said, grinning in the darkness.
-How very long ago that was, - Mewtwo remarked.
"Anaca and Henry," Sal said softly, turning back to her Pokémon. She placed her head against his chest, listening to his heart. "What I wouldn't give to be normal, just for a little while," she said to him.
-Well, you know that it is out of the question, - the psychic replied. -So do not dwell on the thought. -
"I can't help it, though," the human moped a little. "Don't you see them, Mewtwo? How happy they are together? How their auras sparkle and they just can't stop laughing? How- How they can touch each other so casually, and hug and kiss and joke like there's no tomorrow?" she shook her head, sitting up and pulling her knees to her chest. "I can't even hug my own mother without feeling pain…"
-Burdens come with psychic powers. As they do without them. -
"More burdens then blessings…" Sal mumbled.
-Sal, I will say it again: Do not dwell on what could be. It will only cause fantasies for you that are unreachable. -
"But I just supposed to live my life alone, in seclusion without anyone, without ever getting married someday or having kids? You have it so easy, you can't breed, and that's the whole point of Pokémon mating anyways, so you don't have to worry about it." She rolled away from him, her aura flickering red.
-Why are you talking about such things? - Mewtwo's gaze narrowed. -How does seeing Anaca and Henry's friendship suddenly cause you talk about marriage? -
"Because they love each other, Mewtwo!" Sal felt her face starting to get hot, and her eyes starting to burn. "I- I know that we're friends, Mewtwo… but do you know what I would give to have someone love me like that? To care for me so unconditionally, be it friend or even a lover? Do you know what I would give to be normal? I don't know what all you have available to you with this new link… but I would give anything." She shook her head. "…I'd give anything."
-…You are envious of Anaca, are you not? - the Pokémon said without a second thought.
"I can't stop myself..." Sal whispered. " I... shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. I'm sorry." She rolled back over to lay her head in the crook of his arm. " Don't you ever, y'know want to be with someone? " she shook her head. " I know Pokémon males look at it differently than guys..."
-I do not find any need to, no, - the Pokémon gave an answer typical to what Sal would expect. -But I know that many human females have the maternal tendency to want to get married for companionship and nurturing, and to eventually conceive children. You are no exception to that rule. Humans have the need to feel accepted and understood. You are also no exception to that rule. What you are feeling is perfectly natural for humans and what they desire, but I have no way of helping you with those feelings. I do not understand why you are telling me this, but we leave tomorrow. You will no longer have to worry about Henry and Anaca reminding you that you are different. -
"That doesn't matter, Mewtwo," Sal shook her head. "We're always going to remember them."
-Well, of course. But I mean be reminded of them. -
"And we're always going to be reminded of them, too," the female sighed. "Look on the dresser." Mewtwo did so, finding a small package wrapped in tissue paper, tied with a purple thread. He reached over and took it carefully. " Henry gave it to me, and I'm giving it to you. It's a present."
-A...present? - Mewtwo's eyes were wide in shock, and Sal doubted he had ever gotten a present before. -Thank you. - He turned the gift in his hands as if it was the most delicate treasure in the world.
" Well, go ahead and open it silly," Sal said with a giggle, and Mewtwo worked at the edge of the gift with his sharp incisors. He then tore at the rest of the paper with his thick clumsy fingers, until he held the Twistedspoon in his hands, it's edges illuminated by the moonlight that seeped through the curtains. The only change Sal had made was to thread a thick black cord through the hole in the top.
-What… What is this? - Mewtwo looked over towards her. -Do you know how much this is worth? -
"Yeah, I do…" Sal nodded. "Normally I would wait until your birthday, but I think we'll need it soon."
-But why did he give this to you? Alakazam could use this. - The Pokémon fingered the item.
"Because Alakazam has one of his own…" the girl sighed. "It was given to him at his graduation, and he says that he didn't need it, and he wanted you to have it.
-Sal, do you know what this means? - the volume of Mewtwo's voice rose a little. -This means our battles will be shorter. My attacks will be more powerful. I will be able to gain more experience in less time, and we will be able to advance. I will be able to increase my levels and my psychic powers… This is…- the Pokémon shook his head. -This is one of the best things to ever happen to us… Alakazam was right…- The Psychic type allowed his Trainer to thread the cord in between his neck and cerebral cord and tie it there. The spoon thudded against his chest softly, and Mewtwo supposed that he would simply have to become used to it.
"And he didn't stop there," Sal said, propping up her head with her hand. "He also wants to give you a party, when February comes around."
The smile that had spread across Mewtwo's face in his excitement abruptly vanished. - No. That day is not worth celebrating. -
" How can you say that?" Sal asked. " How can you not be excited about your birthday?"
-Because I killed people on that day, Sal! I was not born into this world, I was created through one man's greed. I do not understand why fate keeps me in this world. - He sighed. - Aside from the events that surround my creation, it was the money from innocent people like Henry's parents that funded the research to create me. How would they react to finding that their hard earned money was poured into creating a monster such as myself?-
"You are not a monster," Sal said, holding him close. " What about when you were on New Island? And on your own, traveling through the worlds most famous cities? Goldenrod, Cleladon, Jubilife, Lillycove, Castelia, didn't you like being in places like that? Sneaking into the most extravagant places you could find? You liked it at the time, when you could have and experience extravagant things, and a party at Henry's would be just like that I would think, so why not?"
-Henry has been awfully generous to you. - Mewtwo's gaze narrowed. -If it were not for his aura and his relationship with Anaca, I would say that he is trying to woo you. -
"C'mon, Mewtwo. I think it would be a great idea." Sal leaned her head on his chest. "You don't have to say that it's in celebration of your birthday. We could say that it's a celebration of your life. It's just… a celebration of the blessings we have and the opportunities you have of being here, regardless of how you came here or what you've done. We can celebrate life because… life is wonderful."
Mewtwo blinked, recognizing the phrase. Before, he had never had a reason to celebrate his life, but now he had found a companion in Sal, and despite his fears, blessings had come from it. He wondered what Amber would think had she been present, but then realized that as a human child herself, she would tell him to go as well. Yet, he still wasn't entirely certain that it was a good idea.
"He promised us that the party would be private," Sal mumbled. "…Do you not trust him? I know that you've probed Anaca's mind, but you haven't probed his… I know you're hesitant to trust people. If you're really that uneasy about it, I'll tell him no. I just…" she let the sentence hang, frustrated.
There was a scratching sound at the door, and then it opened slowly. Xanthos padded into the room, and jumped up to lay on the foot of the bed, crawling under the covers and under Mewtwo's feet to use the Psychic type's thick tail as a pillow.
Rose also poked her head in curiously, then made to leave.
-Come Rose, stay with us, - Mewtwo called to her, and the Scizor turned in surprise. The red armored Pokémon came into the room, giving Mewtwo an odd look upon seeing that he was actually willingly cuddling with their Trainer.
"Who are you," she said slowly, raising her eye patterned pincers, "And what have you done to Mewtwo?"
"It is Mewtwo," Sal said. "He's just feeling snuggly." She giggled as Mewtwo exhaled into her hair.
Xanthos grinned. " It's because of that Return move he learned, it does things like this to Psychic types sometimes. It'll mellow out once he gets a good enough handle on the move, it just makes him a bit clingy that's all," he said with a chuckle as Rose lowered her pincers and came to lay on Mewtwo's other side.
A brief chorus of goodnight's went about the room before Sal and her team allowed themselves to sleep.
