Chapter #3: The True Power of Love
Life… why do I bother with life?
My life is like a lie. Every time I try to do something right, it ends up driving me even further down my endless path... Further yet down my inward spiral, leading to misery again. I had my moments, the times when I didn't feel quite so hopeless… mainly that was when I was around Kasumi, how good it actually felt just to remain in her presence. I truly felt like someone then. Like it didn't matter that she was an Arcanine and I was a Mewtwo… how I'd been left by every other girl I'd tried with for reasons inexplicable in a mere sentence. There had been few I actually felt true love toward, but it always turned out the same… because I was an assassin and the family didn't like it… because I couldn't afford to stay in one place for more than a night. Because I was rumored to turn on them.
I felt as though I was losing her… Kasumi… because I was too secretive. She'd said it herself. She didn't fear me, she had no family to object to me, and I was no longer a mass-murderer, putting me in less demand. My reward still remained sky-high, but I was in protection at this place, where any outlaw could hide and wait out his sentence without fear. But because I felt that I shouldn't reveal myself openly…
Life was never fair, but it's taken its toll on me this time.
Life is hell.
Shiro
Today, it all started with a dream. I was dead asleep in my room, easily having one of the strangest dreams I'd ever thought up… for the third time in three nights. This pattern, I thought, was strange, because the only dream I'd ever had repeat itself changed slightly from the last time. But this one… this one remained the same.
It showed Shiro, as his normal self, charging into an unknown target. He ran against a dark horizon, a blackish ground with dark walls of ominous size. A pillar of flame shot toward him, lighting the dark room, and he powered into it still, leaping through the fire and emerging with ash-black fur and alit appendages, like his ears and tail. His dewclaws were aflame and his eyes burned violet and dark silver.
He shook the embers from his fur and stared at a demonic hound, the same one Kasumi had once become, and leapt, taking back a hand for a swipe.
The dream ended there… never going any further, never revealing more to the scene… just stopping.
I awoke and stared at my alarm clock across my room puzzledly. "Only 2AM?" I inquired of it, not expecting an answer but staring around my dark room, the 3-CD player stopped because it'd already played through its rounds.
"Only 2, indeed. That's weak." Shiro said in an unimpressed manner, able to see my dreams, but not having the knowledge on how to access it as I did.
"Hey, can you blame me if I'm abnormally tired and out of my usual sleep schedule?" I muttered groggily, walking over to the lamp in the impression of an elephant just above my clock and turning the switch, flinching in the bright light that flowed into my rather large living quarters. I walked to my CD player and pressed the power button, trudging to the door in the opposite corner and walking down the stairs in my punch-drunk state to find something else to amuse me.
"Watch me."
"You're sure you know nothing about this dream I've been having?" I quizzed Shiro, trying to look for an answer and finding Lion asleep in my favorite chair.
"Positive."
I approached and sat on my Mewtwo, for lack of my chair, and snuggled in, because Lion is a very cuddly Mewtwo. I lay my head against his furry chest and thought for a moment. "Well, it just doesn't make sense. What do you have to do with a fiery Mewtwo?"
"Got me."He answered simply, saying not more than five words at a time.
"If I can get to sleep, I'll see a shrink in the morning. If not, I guess I'll just go now." I began to contemplate how I would get there and how I would ever pay for it, seeing as I was the one that never carried any money and the one that never drove or really even got out of the house. I didn't know where a shrink really was, and well, I guess I had a bit of money, but certainly not enough to pay for it in case I did go.
Well, in my stalemate, I poked at Lion and still thought, stroking his head and rising from my seat, going off to find one of my sisters… either that or take what I needed from one of their rooms… how would they ever find out, anyhow?
I headed off to seek out one of my siblings and ran into no one for awhile, wandering about aimlessly until I finally decided to search my scientist sister's room. Hey, she may've been a real sciencey girl, but she was no forensics worker. She dealt with the matter of cloning and research for Team Rocket… or at least that was last I heard.
So I slowly entered into the domain of my smartest sister, being the only one any cleverer than her. Though she was book-smart, and I was sly. I'd also chosen her lair because she was a horse-anthro—Rapidash to be exact—and they don't necessarily have the best of hearing. Not like a cat's or a dog's anyway. I slunk over the carpet with the quiet steps of a killer, though not with nearly as much skill, and paused while my sister turned onto her side.
"Little help with the being silent thing?"I inquired of Shiro, knowing that he has the quietest way of walking known to mankind so far.
"For the sake of your sanity? No."
"Not for the sake of my sanity, Shiro. If I get caught, I'm going to have one hell of a time explaining this to her." I explained to him, giving him a bit of a silent glare.
"I enjoy knowing this." He told me smugly.
"Thanks." I spat in return. "Now help me or I'll wake her and turn into you!"
"Hah. Not much of a threat, there. I can disappear, remember? They don't call me the Phantom for nothing."
There was a short pause. "Just do it!"
He snorted in disdain and took control, taking a few steps to become accustomed to my style of walking and causing my steps to slowly fade into nothing.
"Her wallet's on the bedstand." I informed him, as he turned my poor eyes toward it and noted the black pocketbook. "Just remember, she's a light sleeper… don't make any suspicious noises."
"Why'd you have to pick her room!?" he demanded of me, reaching slowly for the wallet.
"I like her best besides Kaye." I reminded him.
"Do you always do this to the people you like?"
"Mmhm."
"Remind me never to be your friend."
I batted my eyes. "Just make sure she doesn't have any alarms on her money and take the wallet!"
"Fine, fine, just don't bitch at me any longer, and don't ever become my friend." He reiterated, touching the wallet gently and swiping it, heading for the door again. He'd nearly gotten me in the clear and began to ease the door open, but a small creak began to emanate from the old hinges and I could've sworn she shifted again.
"Remind me to thank you later." I said, returning to control of myself and escaping with the wallet in hand. I headed out the door and called my Evrappa—a newly discovered species from the Diamond League—to my side, mounting and riding off. I'd only just recently gotten used to how incredibly fast Evrappas run, about as quickly as a car or faster, and that was at a slow canter. Not to mention that my Evrappa was evolved from the normal form to Evrappa-X by way of—strangely—death, and then to Flame Evrappa, inspired by the sleek movement and fiery features, finally to Nitro Evrappa, the farthest stage as of yet and so far the most pleasing to the eye.
She had sky blue fur on her top half, an ivory underside, and flaming orange dragon's wings with elfish ears supporting gunmetal blades, much like most of her joints and appendages. One had to be careful riding a Nitro Evrappa, lest they wished to be lacerated. One of these horses would never harm its owner, but accidents may happen.
"Hey, Wildfire, do you know where the psychiatrist's is?" I questioned as she ran.
"Is that your destination, master?" she replied.
"Quit with the master crap." I told her flat-out. "And yes."
"Kay. Fine." She snorted and carried on. "Though you know you are the master, do you not?"
"I'm aware. It's just too formal for my liking." I told her. "All relationships should be casual."
"Alright… but just know, most of your monsters would still call you master, regardless of friendship or not." She looked back forward and skidded to a halt, leaving me at a large building and turning away, taking off.
I entered, clutching my sister's wallet, and going to the front desk to schedule an appointment. Apparently, from how I got an immediate response from someone, they weren't too busy. I was called mere minutes after and lead to the office in which my shrink worked.
I sat in the chair and awaited my psychiatrist, turning my head to spot none other than R-K-9e stepping in and recoiling at the sight of me.
"What are you doing here?" we demanded of one another.
"I have an appointment." I told her soberly.
"I have a job." She informed me, shaking her head.
Something within the confines of my sub-conscious mind snapped at that moment. "Wait, what happened to working at the coffee shop!?" she opened her mouth to say something, but I shook my head. "No, nevermind. Just forget it. I'm here for another reason, anyway."
She nodded. "Well, you know the drill. Just sit back, relax, and well, do whatever you see the people doing on TV, cause that's awful realistic for television."
I chuckled slightly. "Hmm. Well, I guess I should start out by telling you about this dream I've been having consecutively for the past three nights."
I began a lengthy description of the actual dream, having a colorful vocabulary and a way with words, I'm told… heheh. That just might be the reason I'm writing this story for all you nice people.
She nodded and listened, taking notes… though I'm sure drawing a picture instead because she never took me too seriously in the first place. She cocked a brow and tilted her head quizzically. "Interesting… strangely, I do know something about this flaming Mewtwo."
"Do tell." I asked, leaning back and watching the end of my tail as I twirled it about.
"Maybe later, I've still got some time left on my shift." She muttered, glancing at her watch.
"How long?"
"About ten seconds."
I batted my eyes and sighed. "Well, what else to expect from you? Honestly." I stood and began to walk out.
"Ah, ah, ah!" she held out her hand, black locks falling over her shoulder and dark eyes focused upon me. "R-K needs her cash."
I snapped my fingers. "Seeing how long it'd take you to notice. Just tell me the bill; it's my sister's money anyway."
She broke into a laugh. "You would steal?"
"Steal and lie I may, but never do I cheat." I laid a hand on my heart. "Swear to God."
"You shouldn't." she shrugged. "Of course, I shouldn't be such a hypocrite."
"Aha, you see?" I ticked my finger. "Nobody likes a hypocrite, R-K."
"Ah, shut yer trap. I'm sure you're just saying that to cover for when you've been hypocritical." She formed a smile from the corner of her mouth.
I countered her smirk with a bit of a grin. "Of course, but you admitted to being a hypocrite. Me? I try my hardest to avoid being one. Never put unto others what one would not do himself."
"You and your morals." She batted her dark eyes again. A glance toward her watch and a smirk told me that time was up for her shift. "Okay, now give me my money and get the hell out. I'll meet with you outside."
I paid with my sister's cash and found that she had so much money she probably wouldn't take the slightest notice… even if I were to go out on the town and spend like a rich girl. I thought better of it and began to head out, taking my place at the outside of the building and waiting for R-K.
It wasn't long before she showed herself in the clear. "Now… about this Mewtwo situation…"
"I know… it's strange. It seems as though I've heard of this character before, but I don't remember where." I murmured to myself, beginning to walk. "Kind of like my childhood."
"Hey, I'm off-duty; I don't want to hear about this kind of crap after hours." She jeered.
"Some psychiatrist." I spat at her, chuckling heartily afterwards.
She shrugged. "My mom was one, I guess I'm qualified."
"If you would listen once in awhile."
She pointed to her head. "Apathy."
"I figured. But yeah, this fiery Pokémon business has got me stumped. It's like this bedtime story I remember being told when I was real young." I began to reminisce.
She shook her head. "This isn't about bedtime stories… it's about us finding out for sure about Shiro being a flaming cat."
"Still, I can't seem to shake how familiar it is…" I gave a shrug. "Okay, what do we do first, senpai?"
"First, we………."
"Yes?"
"I don't know…" she smirked insipidly. "I just know that there's a certain set of, well… guidelines that one must follow to become a flaming Mewtwo."
"Elaborate, if you would. I've all day." I coaxed, waving an arm.
She batted her eyes. "Get a life."
"I would if I knew how to define a 'life.'" I assured her cheekily.
"It seems, Kae, that you've lost your touch." She said somewhat superiorly, beginning to walk off.
"Eh?" I inquired in slight confusion.
"If you remember, I once said that it's impossible to have 'a life' as people put it. I was seeing if you'd correct me… but you've lost it."
I gave a horsish snort. "You're so predictable."
"I'm the predictable one now?" she asked, still wearing a cocky sneer.
"Of course. Always have been, always will be." I countered, following after her as she led us into the abyss.
"So yeah…" she said after the longest bout of silence ever between us.
"What?" I asked.
"I don't know… if you haven't noticed, I'm horrible at inciting conversation." She gave a light shrug.
"Oi… and my friends wonder how I put up with you."
"You have other friends?" she demanded.
"Quiet." I focused forward, looking into the night sky. "You know, it's times like these that you forget right after they happen… y'know, the dull moments of our life."
"I guess."
"I mean, if something doesn't happen sooner or later, I'm just going to forget about that crazy dream." But something inside me argued that I wouldn't.
"Eh… maybe."
I stretched my arms and kept walking. "This is getting boring."
"But you can't expect something to happen every time we see each other." She offered dully.
"Watch me." I retorted. I glanced into the darkness to find that we'd wandered onto a small isthmus branching from the mainland and leading to an island where a castle stood in the distance. "That's odd…"
"Yeah… never seen a castle around here before." She added.
"Let alone such a nice one…" I built onto the remains of her sentence.
"You're an idiot." I heard Shiro input from in my head.
"Yeah? What for?" I countered.
"You're going inside the thing?" he questioned, still keeping to his five-or-less-words limit.
"Sure, why not? It's not like anyone lives there or anything. I mean, you don't see the Teutonic battalion marching out to combat us, do you?"
"I sense a presence." He hissed. "And not just some hermit who wound up living here because he had nowhere else to go."
"I knew it!"
"What, that you're an idiot?"
"No, I knew that you'd have to say more than five words at a time sooner or later."
"…Shut up."
"Kay!" I said joyfully, heading for the castle and examining the rustic look to it. The style was obviously very old, but well-made and taken care of. Vines crept up the walls and about the entire area, there was a sort of feeling that could make one's neck hairs bristle… as though it'd been a battleground, burial ground, or both. The Gothic style about the place suggested that it'd been built by Germans, but the manner in which it was decorated was far too oriental to be European. Japanese-style doors and various reds indicated that this was no Dutch castle.
"Because in case you didn't catch it, this wasn't the first time I exceeded the five-word quota." He continued.
"That's nice…" I murmured, still studying the old castle.
R-K tapped my shoulder and pointed upward.
"Eh?" I watched the swirling misty vortex above the place and chuckled. "Is that the reason you get a bad omen from this place, Shiro-boy?"
"Not the only reason… you know I'm sensitive to energies…" he ended quietly.
"Well, if anything, that'd be the most obvious clue."
"You seem to have nerve for a lass… if I can even call you that after what I've seen." Shiro retorted, as I came to approach the building.
"Say what you wish, you know you really don't have ammo." I told him quietly.
"Not to mention forgetful." He added as an afterthought.
"Elaborate." I pried, warily turning back an eye.
"You already forgot that you were asking your friend a question not long ago. Even I remember that." He sneered.
"You know, you're like that little voice inside my head that ran away after I stopped listening to it." I said back to him, beginning to head into the castle before me.
"No common sense, either." He muttered nonchalantly. I must admit, though, I'd always loved how powerful his voice was… 'either' with a strong 'I' instead of the weak 'E.'
"I have common sense, Shiro. I just have the curiosity of a feline as well."
"Don't talk to me about feline curiosity." He spat.
"Right, right. Got to remember that you're the only masculine cat-boy I know."
A short pause turned into a ringing silence. "Come to think of it, you're right."
"See? Lion's a girly cat-boy, his sons are girly cat-boys, and well, okay, maybe I can give a good word for Shadow, but not anyone else." I explained further.
"Come on, even I could've guessed that."
"Point though you have, I still want to explore the castle."
"Go nuts." He offered dryly, clearly not enjoying himself.
I walked toward the castle and motioned for R-K to follow me. She seemed to have no obligation tailing me, but she looked as though she was unsure about my motives.
"So, why did you want to go in here anyway?" she asked.
"You know me. If I'm not poking around out of curiosity, there's something wrong with me." I assured as we followed a narrow passageway.
"Well, you're certainly brilliant, aren't you?" Shiro inquired of me, his tone drenched in sarcasm as always.
"What?" I countered, looking about and watching the hall pass by us, pictures of various things adorning the walls.
"You're venturing into the unknown completely unarmed and off-guard." He muttered.
"I'm blissfully ignoring this fact because you're around, Shiro-boy."
He gave me a strange look. "Why are you being an idiot because I'm around?"
"You're a kick-ass swordsman and you took on Azreal not long ago without any hope of winning!" I reminded him.
"So all of a sudden, I've apparently become your savior?" he sneered.
"EEYUP." I answered.
"And what, might I ask, has made my presence your haven?" he continued sourly. "If you've not forgotten, I still hold you and everyone else on this planet in contempt."
I decided to keep this next message personal. "Even Kasumi?"
He never did break the silence, so I felt I had to do so myself. "Well?"
He left me in silence for a few more moments until finally uttering an answer "Not her."
"Then talk to her." I thought, still keeping my messages secret. "I saw you back down in the hells… you're such a damn romantic, she'll fall for you easily."
"You're daft, woman… She's smarter than that. She'll not fall prey so easily to mere words and sweet nothings." He bit back, his snap quite a might worse than his bark.
"You say this as though you've but tried it… if you simply express your feelings in a cool and kindly monologue, she'll bend to your will like a lovesick pup." I explained. "Nothing sways the fortress of a mistress like the serenade of a man she adores."
"You read too much Shakespeare." He murmured.
"I like Shakespeare." I retorted. "Especially Romeo and Juliet."
"I'll leave it at that."
"Actually, now that I think about it; Shiro and Kasumi, or SK, is just one letter off from Romeo and Juliet, RJ." I told him, sketching the letters on my palm with a handy pen and sniggering.
"Be quiet, insolent stooge!" he cursed. His cheeks blushed rosily and his lip curled in spite.
"Why, is Shiro-Shiro getting embarrassed?" I teased aloud.
"Say another word, raven, and I'll never speak to you again."
I could tell he had absolutely no liking for birds, because he spat the word 'raven' with the utmost loathing. "Alright, alright… I'll keep my peace, knave."
"Ere, you can now shut your mouth and allow me control of this situation." He growled.
"Fine, go ahead. I'm getting tired of walking anyway." I let him become himself, my presence slowly fading into his.
As he continued on, Kasumi had taken R-K's place as well. A strange presence lingered about, making itself obvious… though giving no hint to its entity.
The first clue came when the two were heading forth into the darkness. Shiro, pacing upon four delicate legs hinted by masculine figure with the definition of muscle, found his forefoot caught and stumbled forth. As soon as he rose and checked the ground for wires or hidden traps, both he as well as Kasumi were already suspicious.
"What the hell?" she inquired, as he reported that there had been no interference so far as planted traps. Of course, her reasoning only existed because she along with the rest of us knew that a cat was a creature of refined balance and grace… hence, Shiro had never been clumsy a day in his life.
"It's more than just peculiar… that much I'll say." He grumbled.
Kasumi, in the midst of all the staring eyes in the paintings littering the walls, gave a subtle nod. "More than peculiar 'cause you're supposed to be the graceful one… s'not like you to fall on your face."
"Oh, thanks." He sneered with light sarcasm dressing his eerily dark and sumptuously alluring vocal notes.
"You're welcome." She answered brightly.
The continuing went on in silence, though the strange and warning presence remained and lingered to haunt them. In only a few seconds, the paintings lining the corridor grew steadily more gruesome and glared with red eyes aglitter and emaciated faces nearly starved to the bone.
"That's just kind of unnerving, eh Kasumi?" Shiro inquired backward of her, a slight pause extending into silence. He turned back his head and scanned the hall, narrowing his mismatched eyes, one of lavender, the other blanc. "Kasumi?" he muttered back, scanning the never-ending hallway for his comrade and hopeful companion.
"She disappeared." I offered quietly.
"Noooo, she just ran away." He jeered. "Of course she disappeared, Dumbass."
"Well sorry for giving my two cents." I told him, falling back into silence.
"Your money's not worth anything here." He smirked, telling me. "You're paying with Wong."
"But I have Yen as well, in case you're interested." I offered.
He snorted. "Save it. It'll be worth something if you have enough." He continued to pace down the hall, his broad, thick-boned limbs taking every stride with ease. He hung his head as though in shame and watched the room from his down-to-earth point-of-view. His prominent brow hid his gleaming eyes, so adorning such a brilliant glitter that they shone through the shadows, piercing the hearts of any who stared into them.
As soon as his progress carried him further into the bowels of the castle, he came to a darkened battlefield, covered by deepening darkness that added a foreboding shade to the painting… so it was that it seemed, such a still and quiet scene that it could be mistaken for a work of art.
A chilling howl echoed into the room and reverberated back to him, causing his fur to stand on end. By nature, a cat is easily startled by a hound's cries… and much as he disagreed for himself, he was no exception. He scanned the surroundings for a clue as to her presence, a part of him secretly longing for Kasumi… for solace escaped him when she went away.
A ghostly set of pawpads gently scraped the floor, growing closer with every second. He still skimmed the background for a possible culprit, but none dared show themselves as the steps approached, keeping to a steady pattern of two gentle steps, followed by two more in succession.
After what seemed like an eternity where Shiro was warily watching the shadows, a figure with gleaming eyes similar to the pictures emerged, wily black locks and bloodred slashes more than familiar to the small white cat. He stood his ground calmly, though his heart stood still and he knew that he was in grave danger if his thoughts were accurate. And usually, he wasn't one to misunderstand or misinterpret a situation.
The figure, long fur flowing as if there were a constant wind, halted mere feet from Shiro and stood, in the sense that it was awaiting command. No answer to its obedience supplied, it continued to stand and stare.
"Kasumi?" he inquired of it, receiving a homely glare.
"I hope you know, she won't answer you." A wry voice explained to him.
"Explain." He demanded of the strange one.
A slight pause answered him. "Rather than explain, I think I'd like to show you instead." With a sharp snap of the fingers, a fierce growl faced him and Kasumi approached.
"Oh, this is showing me? I'd say it's mind control." He offered with a humorous nonchalance, though backing away with every intent on staying alive.
"I'd have to say you're right…" the voice sneered mockingly. "Though you have no idea how complete the control I possess over her really is."
"All joking aside, I think I can guess." He muttered. He kept at a negative advancement, never taking his eyes off of Kasumi or averting his attention from her sleek pelt lining accented muscles able to tear him limb from limb… from her dagger fangs or blackened claws that were able to sear his already weathered flesh to a point beyond recognition… her gleaming eyes that, by natural instinct, lusted for his blood.
She stopped with slow advancing and bounded forth on powered limbs, initiating a chase between two of the longest-running natural enemies in the animal kingdom. Though Shiro was far from cowardly, he knew her strengths more than he knew his own… and he was smart enough to avoid what could easily kill him. He kept at an excruciating pace, running himself ragged and finally coming to a point where he could offer a counterattack.
As she kept after him, lunging forth at certain intervals and causing her onslaught a slight pause, it seems that the two had run into a wall, and this could be used to her advantage… had her foe not been an agile genius.
Shiro leapt and pushed off the wall, landing solidly atop her back and causing her to stumble. He darted the other way and skidded to a halt, awaiting her next move as she stiffly returned to the fight. She shook her shaggy maw and curled a black lip at the tiny cat.
He took off, rocketing forth with short, yet rapid strides. His dash toward her seemed to be a mere pesky advance, and the massive pitch-dark dog opened wide her gaping jaws lined in deadly fangs, a surge of flame erupting from within her throat and soaring toward him. He leapt into the scorching flame and emerged upon landing with jet-black, ash-colored fur, dressed in various flames and dancing patterns of fiery colors. He shook himself off, sending the last of the dying embers in his fur flying into the air around him, flaring with the pressure of falling, until fading into nothing upon landing.
His almost gothic animation as he slowly crept forth on sleek and streamlined paws appeared to hold her in mystery as her beforehand contemptible glowing orbs widened in wonder. His still steely and unmatching hawkeyes remained narrow and stared with his intense, stimulating gaze that seemed to drill into the very soul. Without warning, he took to a dash, nearly flying with his dancing lope. His paws made no trace of a sound as they hit and passed the ground, and like a phantom, he reached her and leapt into the space between.
Time stood still as he took back his hand, dashed with serrated claws, and let it fly… and the dream didn't end this time.
In the stretching seconds turning unlawfully into minutes, Shiro's frontal appendage struck Kasumi with force enough to stun a horse. She fell to the earth in a daze and allotted Shiro time to explain his rules to the other presence who seemed to be lingering about.
"You're good, Shiro… perhaps too good." The voice responded to his advance. "Though you are a bit late to help her… because unless you kill me, you'll be enemies forever."
The small boy had already been in distress over having to knock her out… it seemed he was a bit too sensitive about her. However, this changed nothing now except that his hatred was stronger. "That can be arranged." He hissed to the other menacingly.
"Oh, a smart Alec, are we?" it inquired of him, a pair of dark, moss-green eyes shining into the light. "Typically, your kind are hardly welcome in civilized society… whether they're funny or not."
"Maybe I'm not… why should it bother me?" Shiro countered. "I do believe I'm at a stalemate with humankind as well as their little monsters. They hate me… and I hate them. There is nothing wrong here."
"Oh, then you wouldn't mind my killing you right here and now?" the voice queried offhandedly.
"No, see, there's where I draw the line. I live to cause pain to others… and nothing can change that. But I have more life to live, my time is far from exhausted in this harsh succession of tortures and lessons we call life."
No reply was there to combat him. "Go on. This is getting interesting."
"No, I'll not continue. I don't live to serve, as some do, and I don't see why they do in the first place. My life is an ongoing metaphor. A continuing, ebbing, downward spiral into what some of us like to call the abyss. I have no meaning, and if I've come across it, it's ignored me and long passed me by or left me in the fray. My intellect can be dizzying,"
"As I can see…" the voice offered quietly,
"And those that choose to listen to my ranting often walk away stupefied or lose all patience in the gist of it and remember my far-gone understanding as something only I should care about!" he spat, allotting a slight pause, as though awaiting the other to become fed-up with his rambling. "I hate the human race, the Pokémon race, and every beast or beastling that has ever inhabited this earth in some way or another, just to different degrees! Why I should even respond to such a phrase as 'go on' when it is my absolute dejection to even think about!? You've no power over me, and that much keeps me alive…"
"Well, you certainly have a complex outlook on right and wrong. I must say, your personality is appalling, but you've a great mind." the eyes seemed to rise as the creature apparently stood. "Shame to have it go to waste like this."
"I'm appalling? You manifest and overrule a creature's mind and call yourself my opposite?" he demanded.
"Aye, but I do it with intent to rid the planet of the curse you've set upon it." The bold voice announced.
"Oh, so now you're some kind of hero?" Shiro spat.
"Nay. I do it not for anyone but myself. I am all I have left, but the hideous plague you've introduced is as bad or worse than anything I could do." the eyes narrowed. "If not for your valor as an artisan, you would be the sole worst, loathsome, insignificant dog on the face of the Earth."
"So now you slander hounds, as if their name is one to be spat upon?" he questioned calmly.
"Canines and only canines are deserving of such malign jeers." The voice responded.
Clearly, the boy was insulted by this. "I'm not one to stand up for anyone else… but discrimination is despicable."
"You, of ALL people, are insulted by this?" the other inquired, cocking a brow.
"Aye." Shiro answered. "Only because of the belittling I've gone through… because everyone thought they were better than me."
"And they shouldn't? You appear to have disgracefully lost every bout you've ever been in!"
If anything, that'd been the final straw. "Look, I know your kind! I live around them every day, and they drive me to my very end! It's because of people like you that I began to kill them off! You sorry, loathsome worms who get a kick out of making someone else feel lower than you!"
The other's dark eyes flashed, narrowing dangerously. "MY kind!? What about your kind, who give us all reason to feel that low!?"
"What is it about 'my kind' that makes the lot of you feel like dirt!?" he demanded. "Honestly, I would give anything to have a little dignity!!"
The figure stepped forth from the shadows, revealing himself to be an elder of the same species. His form was clean, and his figure was finely formed, with a face that was definitely carved by the best of sculptors. His cheeks were strong, his chin was weak, and his eyes burned with hatred. Though somehow, he reminded me of someone. "And I would give anything for a bit of pride."
"Don't lie, you wouldn't think twice about keeping it after you've been host to it for as long as I have." Shiro spat at the elder.
"By my name as Shinzo Dokuro Ikube, I'll send you to your grave, Sasaki."
"If I'm to go to an early rest, then yours shall be well-timed…" Shiro countered. "Because I won't go down without taking you along."
"It shall be done." The taller Mewtwo hissed.
Shiro lunged in the blink of an eye, the other Mewtwo taking to the skies and causing him to miss. He coiled back and sprang, his long, binding tail giving an agitated twirl before he took off. His leap came up short again, however, and the other attained a light emerald glow, forming an energy between his hands and tensing, holding one arm in the other hand to fire three blasts of a similarly colored fire. The tiny boy dodged the first two with ease, a simple leap back and to the side avoided them. As the third rushed for his face, he spun about, the fiery appendage on his back end sending the ball of infernos back to its owner.
Shinzo held up a weak guard with his frail arms, the attack beginning to dissolve in mere seconds. With a moment's pause, the elder chose to fire several more attacks, though these were more controlled than the fiery blasts. They seemed to swing back for another round when Shiro leapt aside.
Quick notice was taken of this, and Shiro dodged the next passaround to look at his foe. The control, he found, was all up to Shinzo. He knew his disadvantage was only due to his refusal to mimic Shinzo's battle style. If he used the abilities he'd been given by his species as a Pokémon… well, as far as he was concerned, he'd be sinking down to the other's level.
Shiro continued to concoct a plan while the translucent balls of energy persisted in pursuing him. They seemed no threat, but the boy was not one to be deceived by appearances. Looking about the room, he took sudden notice of a ladder leading up to a risen platform, and with that in mind, he made for it.
Within seconds, his flight had caused Shinzo's attacks to come crashing into the earth where he'd stood mere seconds ago. At this the elder gave a disgruntled snarl, sending twice as many back toward the fleeting foe.
Shiro leapt half the ladder in a single bound, climbing the rest with the sureness of an ape. He hoisted himself up onto the platform and made toward his opponent, who'd been unreachable before. However, his onslaught came to an abrupt halt as his opponent flew before him and caused him to double back.
Shinzo grinned eerily and pulled his hand in toward himself. For a moment, Shiro gave him a perplexed look, trying to find the reasoning for it. As soon as it'd come back to him, he glanced behind him to find the orbs coming up quickly at an interval of maybe two feet.
He cursed himself in the moment before the orbs hit, each following into an explosion on contact. As soon as the smoke cleared, he was left crippled before the other, at a loss for movement in any of his limbs.
"So, this is how it ends, Shiro?" the other queried wryly. "You lying at my feet when you proposed it wouldn't happen…"
"Who… ever said I was lying?" he returned, lifting off his position on the floor and slowly, shakily moving to the stance he'd had beforehand.
Shinzo stood in shock, his expression torn between an attempt at staying calm and a furious surprise, his lip curling and eyes wide, yet narrowing. "How!? How do you stand when you are defeated!?" he demanded in frustration.
"I'm not defeated…" Shiro responded mysteriously. "Just a stumble in my stride, is all… a thorn in my paw at most."
"Your strain is clear, boy… I hear it in the depths of your singsong voice." The other sneered, watching him stagger to his feet and struggle to stand there. "The crow caws for you."
"Such a rat of a bird, when a raven be more lovely?" he inquired, limbs shaking violently as he leaned against the rail of the platform for a means of support. "I'd rather the more musical of the birds of death were to sing for me."
"As you may… a dying man's request is one I'll not ignore." The elder muttered. "The raven sends her greetings for you this day… heed her call." He advised, forming another ball of energy upon his hand, casting the rest of him into shadow.
"All is well, then." Shiro ended quietly. "Because the raven's song be my sign of luck… always has…"
Shinzo gave him a perplexed look, the ball growing more mass with each passing second.
"And my luck is all I have." He said more loudly, coiling and leaping before his foe could anticipate any movement at all from him. He stood atop the other Mewtwo and, noting his fiery patterns had been lost with his power as the explosions hit him, he held the other pinned to the floor and extended his claws, pressing upon Shinzo's neck. "But then… you never would've thought I was such a quick healer, would you?"
"'Twas an act!?" the elder demanded.
The short boy nodded slyly, staring with his empty eyes.
"And I fell for it…" he nearly whispered.
"Say your prayers, you'll be going to hell now." Shiro sneered, choking the other with his hand and serrated claws. Something caught his eye, however, and he hesitated. As this happened, Shinzo slipped away and a pillar of flame hit the wall, curling around and hitting the elder, the wave of heat stopping short of himself.
Shinzo took to the sky and growled toward Kasumi, who'd finally come to. "Attack him! Not me!" he commanded her, pointing to Shiro.
Who, meanwhile, had climbed atop the railing and looked to his two options. He slunk toward the other silently and while he wasn't watching, leapt out to catch hold of his tail. He climbed unsteadily and used his claws as hooks to keep his hold in the flesh of his enemy. As he advanced, the other losing altitude and crying in pain while he literally lacerated his foe's skin, he used his readiest limb to try to copy his own scars.
Shinzo, fed up with the abuse, blasted him off with another burst of emerald energy and found that Shiro clung to his leg and only dug his bloodstained claws in further.
Shiro advanced again and used Shinzo's shoulders as handholds, staring him in the eye. "Hmmm… it's very becoming on you…" he sneered. "Just one final touch." He took his right hand back and created a vertical slash over the other's left eye. He looked once more upon his masterpiece and broke into a devilish smile, a chuckle, and then a laugh.
In the meantime, another blast of flame was shot, knocking the both of them out of the air. Kasumi had stood too close, however, and though Shinzo fell painfully to the side, Shiro landed atop her head and knocked them both to the ground.
Shortly after waking, Shiro found his throat blocked, and an immense pain sent screams of agony through his body. He wondered what could be the cause of such strange symptoms, but as he glanced to one side, all that returned to him were eyes of the most vivid red. Eyes he knew all too well as once being bright and oceanic blue.
In the backdrop, the elder Mewtwo had been cheering her, rooting and continuing to laugh in the manner of a madman. "You'll be dead in mere minutes, Sasaki, and then I'll put to rest your beloved!" he paused only to enter another laugh. "I've no need for a mangy hound in my castle… and she'll be as good as dead anyway."
He sighed in dismay, at being moments away from death by the one he loved. He played out his final thoughts with the last of his feeling—the only emotion he had left—and put his thoughts into words.
"Go ahead and kill me, for I would carry on to watch you from the heavens. And may I rest in peace if you should never love again." He told her in a quiet rasp with the last of his voice.
Within her mind, something seemed to snap, and she looked around the room with her now familiar crystal blue eyes. Her hold released instantly and she shook her head violently, staring at Shiro and watching him bleed. Her disgust, hatred, and fear all combined into one emotion as she looked on in horror. Her gentle eyes welled and she stepped back, only to hear insane laughter from the direction behind.
She snapped her maw back to find that Shinzo was in tears with hideous laughter, and loathing overcame what emotion she'd formerly had. Her lip curled in fury, her demonic fur standing on end and claws dragging along the ground, unable to retract. She glanced to her wings, still intact from when she had been under the elder's control, and back to Shiro, her eyes narrowing and her heart pounding madly.
"Shinzo!!" she cried from the depths of her heart, the sound one of distress and sheer fury in the same essence.
The Mewtwo halted his laughter a moment and looked down upon her. "Oh, so you're free now, are you?" he questioned with an infuriating nonchalance. "It matters not. You've killed him, and now it's your own turn to parish."
She answered his offhanded confidence with a vicious snarl, the earth about her giving an unsteady quiver. Her black wings spread and she charged, bounding forth and powering toward him with all she had. She reached him in moments, outstretching her broad paws and diving to drive them both out of the air. She landed harshly with her claws at his heart and her jaws dripping with Shiro's blood.
Shinzo turned to her, seeing nothing but her bloodthirsty eyes before him and letting loose a scream before she silenced him. A digging motion from her front-right paw pierced him and tore him open to reveal a wave of vivid blood. She looked upon him one last moment to make certain that he was dead and turned back, losing all demonic essence as she dashed towards a lifeless Mewtwo she knew too well.
"Shiro…" she called desperately, not necessarily expectant of an answer. "Can you ever forgive me?" she asked of him, her pretty voice meek and mild. "My God… I've lost another one… this time forever."
A sputtering cough answered her tears. "Are you… quite so sure of that?" he asked, giving a weak chuckle to assure her. "I can forgive you if you're not."
She watched him in astonishment, actually managing to laugh. "No… not sure anymore, that is… actually…" she paused, smiling. "I was never quite sure about you to begin with."
He smirked. "So can I get a bit of, maybe, help? I hurt like bloody hell…"
"Anything." She assured, lifting him onto her back and leaving the castle to return to my place.
Once they arrived into the downstairs room, an unnerving silence answered them. Without warning, a tiny click sounded the turning on of a light and a figure sat near the lamp, draped in shadow.
"N-Nani!?" Kasumi demanded, looking upon the approaching figure and noting the studying violet eyes.
"Alright… what happened to him this time?" Lion inquired of her, his exasperation making him sound only more playful.
"What? How did you—"
"Know?" he finished, smirking. "I saw Kae leave earlier. She thought I was dead asleep when she sat on me, but I watch things around here."
"'Kay, that's almost creepy." Shiro offered from behind, his rasp still quite clear.
"No, what's really creepy is that I'm actually drunk right now." He told them. "Go ahead, you can smell my breath."
"I'd rather not, if it were up to me." Shiro joked.
"No, he's right… he's as drunk as a mule…" Kasumi muttered. "Well, how come you're still conscious and capable of rational thought?"
"One: it was just beer. Two: high tolerance to alcohol." He explained. "Now, let's have a look-see at old Shiro-boy there."
Kasumi set him atop the metal table and stepped away, looking somewhat guilty.
Lion gave him a quick glance and cocked a brow. "The hell?" he demanded. "The damage is all to the neck… his tube isn't touched."
"Fancy that…" Kasumi murmured nervously.
"My, you're acting strange." Lion offered, giving her a cautious look. "Ah, well…" he looked to Shiro and began to mend his wounds. "Now, this may not mean much, seeing as I take the blame for causing you the most physical pain… but I suppose it'll have to suffice." He sighed. "I only wish I could do more… repay you somehow…"
Shiro thought a moment and looked away, pushing himself to his arms and shakily holding his upper body in that pose. He took back his hand and lashed out at the other's face, causing the older Mewtwo to stagger back and stumble, catching himself on a shelf.
"Your debt is repaid." Shiro told him quietly, watching as he removed his hand, revealing three bloody gashes upon his handsome, youthful face.
When he awoke, he saw an emptiness; a dark room with nothing inside it.
Dear mental diary, (heh); today I learned that opposites of different sexes may attract, but get two of the same together and havoc is wreaked. I don't trust what I don't agree with… but I've come to realize that others don't trust what they can't explain… this is a fatal flaw of humankind.
Shiro
THE END