Walls of storm rose all around the island, cutting it off from the rest of the world. An island of an island. It was otherwise still when Mewtwo teleported to the old arena landing in its center. The smell of steam and heated metal spoke of a match just missed. He stared at the floor here a moment trying to not let too many old memories ruin his mood.
Shaking off the remembrance he floated for the doors. Inside the others were about their business a few pausing to watch him pass. He was never deeply social with them, but he had been even more aloof then normal these past weeks. They worried, he could feel it in the air like a smog.
Food was being passed among them, but he was not hungry, not right now. Instead he floated upwards through the center of the double spiral stairs through the floorto his observation twenty years the screens seemed antiquated and dusty, but it was still a place to be alone.
Mewtwo stood and contemplated the storm, it seemed calmer today, a reflection of his mood perhaps. As he stood there processing his thoughts and feelings he felt a presence behind him and heard the soft hum of levitation flight.
The gardevoir, stayed back a respectful distance. "Mewtwo, you return? Was the emergency handled? We were all concerned when you didn't return right away. Is everything alright?"
"It was… an enlightening and new experience… everything is fine thank you."
She folded her hands in front of her "Was it? That is wonderful if unexpected news. What did you learn?"
Mewtwo glanced back at the green and white pokemon. "I learned… and I have been aware of for a little while now that there is another Mewtwo."
Whatever she expected him to say, it certainly wasn't gasped and covered her mouth. Suddenly her teachers strange behavior clicked into place. "Another Mewtwo? They dared make a second one?"
"They did…. About five years after I was made… And… she is... beautiful..." he looked at his hands as the admission simply tumbled out of him.
The fairy grinned, this was the sort of thing she lived for. "Is she now? Well that's good news, seems you have a new friend, correct?"
He glanced back at her again "Mind your tone student…" he instantly regretted it and leaned on the window ledge. If he was going to talk to anyone in the whole world about this who else would it be but his student? Besides, how could he hide anything from one of the more powerful empaths that existed? His turmoil had to feel like an oncoming storm to her.
With a sigh Mewtwo turned to face her, she had stepped a little closer with a look of concern on her features. He steeled himself for... sharing. "I am sorry… I just… shes not just a new friend. I… feel things with her… when I am around her… her presence..."
"What kind of things?"
He looked back out the window. "I don't know. Unfamiliar things. Things I cannot name and have never felt before."
The gardevoir moved up beside him, watching out the window with him as pokemon started filing out into the arena to spar. "Describe them to me. I'll attempt translate them for you if you wish?"
Nodding he closed his eyes trying to sort through the jumble in his mind with little success. "Warmth… that feels like it just sits in my chest… A giddy feeling I think… close to when I successfully complete a project, but not quite? And the last one… I feel… helpless…" he scowled "the last one is not correct but I do not know how else to describe it."
The fairy focused listening to him and explain as she tried to glean the feelings behind his answers made her smile "Mewtwo, you are describing relaxation, comfort, happiness, and even perhaps… well..."
"Well what?" he snapped his eyes open.
She shrugged "affection… Love... or at least the start of it."
He blinked and forced his gaze out the window "Am I even capable of such a thing?"
"Clearly you are. She's found that place inside of you and awoken something. But love isn't a switch that is just flipped on. The start of it, the affection you are clearly feeling. From here its a matter of nurturing those seeds till they bloom."
"Should I be worried? Could it be another ploy?"
She let out a soft laugh "Nooo… They couldn't make another one and expect you to fall in love with them on the merit of them existing alone. Make another to lure you in perhaps but no, your love.. should you pursue it.. is not a trap despite what you may have been told in the past. Does she know why she was made? Has she told you?"
He nodded "Medical research and because I had gotten away. A replacement in essence…"
"Well then I doubt she was made to capture you."
"Then… what do I do? Should I keep seeing her? She's expressed concerns that I wont return. Yet I want to see her. I find myself missing her even now. But what if I somehow make her hate me? Or I hurt her or cause her harm?"
That soft laugh. "Of course you keep seeing her. Even if you remain just friends, having one of your own kind to speak to would a massive relief and comfort to you, I'm sure. As for the rest. The fact you care about that says to me you will do everything you can to avoid that end."
"I see."
"Mewtwo, I have often said you think a lot about things to the point of deconstructing them. This would be a good time to see what happens rather than over thinking the situation until it's completely wrung out."
He regarded her with a frown.
"What happens next will be determined by both of you. There is no show of power here that can help you. No skill set you have developed over your life can really prepare you for what may come next. You must learn more of her. About her. From her. Spend time talking to her. The rest will fall into place. Wouldn't you rather see this through and what could be instead of worrying so much about what might be that you let her slip through your fingers?"
"I do not want to lose her…" He looked up at her his face softer then she had ever seen it "Do you think that is the best course of action?"
She nodded "I do, with all of my being. I foresaw that you would one day find someone that spoke to your heart. Don't let her slip away, Mewtwo. She is special."
"I see. Thank you, I appreciate the advice." his usual scowl settled back into place and he looked out at the storm again.
"Of course. Just remember, you need to show her attention, nurture these seeds. Shes likely suffered as much as you have. Be there for her, she might not be as… stoic as you are."
"I will head back out tonight to see if she is free. Can you handle things here again without me?"
"Of course. I wouldn't be your student if I couldn't handle a few rabblerousers that want to spar way too late."
He nodded allowing her to depart.
She floated back, but paused near the entry in the floor "One question, does she have a name?"
Mewtwo looked back over his shoulder at her "Avalon... her name is Avalon."
"Oh… that is a lovely name." She smiled in her enigmatic way and drifted down into the main room below, leaving him to ponder.
"Avalon..."
Mist threaded its fingers through the woodlands as dusk laid its blanket over the coastline. Deep in the woods, yet still reached by the distant roar of waves, a figure picked along a small brook that tumbled between mossy stones. Its cloaked form paused to squat down on one of the rocks as it reached a pale inhuman hand into the freezing waters plucking out an ice white stone.
Avalon held the gem up peering at it in the quickly vanishing light when she heard it, the soft fluttering of fabric and the low hum of psychic flight, he was here.
"Hello again." his voice rumbled pleasantly in her mind.
She stood turning to face him careful not to drag the cloak through the water "I almost thought you wouldn't come back.…" her tone playful instead of fearful.
"I wanted to wait for the right chance. There were several times I could have reappeared, but it would have been high risk." he stayed hovering looking down at her.
Her eyes glowed from the depths of her hood as she looked up at him "I understand. I haven't made it easy for you these past days. I had certain things I had to do to appease my creator so she would be less suspicious of my time up here... have you... been doing thinking while you were away?"
"I have. A considerable amount. You?"
"mmm... yes… and I missed you more then I thought I would…"
He nodded drifting down to hover before her over the water. "I… have missed you as well... and I want to know you better Avalon."
She tilted her head "...I would like that"
"We are alike and yet… your life experiences are so different from my own..."
"You do not need to justify it. If you wish to learn about me and be part of my life you simply choose to do so because you want to. No other reason is needed. But we can take those moments to learn from one another?" she smiled at him.
Mewtwo looked away and nodded "We certainly can. I will teach you what I know and I will gladly learn from you."
"I look forward to that... I... was never trained like you were... you could say I'm as close to wild as possible." she looked around at the woods confirming they were indeed alone then up at him.
"I could help train you in similar ways that I was. Less cruel of course…"
They stared at each other for a long moment, both fully aware they were deflecting and making small talk before Avalon broke the silence. "do... you... not want to come near me?"
"...I did not wish to presume." He hesitated before floating up to her just within reach.
She blinked and gently placed her palms on his chest as he closed the rest of the distance at her unspoken invitation. The warmth of him against her was a nice contrast from the cold "...was this part of what you thought of?"
"Yes… I admit… being close to you again figured often in my thoughts" He reached up and gently brushed a hand over her cheek before putting his hands over hers on his chest "I just… do not know how much I am allowed to do freely."
She let him take her hands smiling softly "what if... if you do something I don't like... I tell you?"
"Yes…" he stared into her eyes feeling something warm bloom in his chest.
"...and can you do the same for me?"
"I can accept that…" he smiled reaching up to push her hood back.
Avalon let it fall back as she matched his gaze "if... I know what to even do now... I... would like to experience things with you... I... if you are wanting and willing?"
"I am wanting and willing… if you are?"
"I am."
He smiled and leaned his head to hers pulling her into an embrace as he lifted off the rock with her. Her arms slipped around his waist as she nuzzled him. "You… I've thought of little else since the night we met."
"And I've been thinking about you…". He knew she could fly on her own, but he still held her close like she couldn't. Tails slowly twinned together like a double helix as they hovered over the creek rotating slowly.
Her hand lighted on his cheek "you... are so beautiful" not a freak or disfigured, beautiful.
He blinked never expecting anyone to describe him in such a way but he mirrored her touch "as are you… breathtaking..."
Avalon brushed her muzzle along his "I want..."
"Yes?" he returned the brush breathing her in, quietly pleading she would say it.
"I… think I want you… I think that is what this is… I think I know now what I needed…." she breathed over his mouth shaking in his arms.
"Then… you shall have it." They kissed, hesitation vanishing like mist before a fire. Arms wrapped around one another under their cloaks as their hearts beat in time. The rush of their pulse drowning out all sound. He spun them in an elation his heart had never known before as they lifted higher into the sheltering fog.
Rain began to fall, pattering on leaves. A peal of distant thunder rumbled across the landscape. Thoughts touch, nothing like before where answers were sought, but gentle invitation into something deeper. Sensations and emotions bled from one to the other. Both feared this was some dream and any moment they could wake up, oh but what a dream. Lost in one another in ways they never thought possible, and for at least one night, tonight, mind body and spirit were given well deserved solace and peace.