A/N: Did I mention how much I love reviews?
ZeoViolet: Ok, just very carefully pick your jaw off the floor and keep reading!
VMorticia: I like encouragement as much as the next person, and now I updated both fics! Ain't I wunnerful?
Mystic Mewtwo: I'm not wonderful. Now stop it. I mean it, stop it! …Actually no, don't stop it.
Miah Tolensky: Magikarp are only useful once they evolve, in my opinion. But the lack of emotion deal will be explained in due time. Starting round about now.
Disclaimer: I own…umm, 5 Pokemon GameBoy cartridges, 6 videotapes, copies of all the movies, a cuddly Pikachu, a Mewtwo plushie and Subject B-6. And that's it. Everything else belongs to 4Kids, Nintendo, and Satoshi Tajiri. Lousy copyrights…
Warning: All various warnings are covered in previous chapters. You don't like them, then don't read this fic.
Italics indicate Pokemon speech
Forgotten: Part 4
A literally emotionless being.
It shouldn't have been possible, even with genetic manipulation.
Giovanni, my old ally, you truly did create a monster.
Sashara didn't move from her position for almost half a day, by which stage I had buried the Magikarp corpses and retreated underground to stare at the spring.
The tranquillity of the waters pervaded my consciousness, allowing me a modicum of relaxation. But every time I attempted to meditate, the images of those dead Pokemon returned to haunt me, the smell of blood overwhelming my senses, their dead eyes staring at me…
I shook my head, forcing the images away. It wouldn't do for me to become distracted, especially now.
But apparently the fates had other ideas.
If shimmers could be heard, they were almost echoing around the chamber as one of my closest confidants entered.
Even Mew was not immune to the suffering of others, even those created through science.
She still hasn't returned?
'She just keeps staring across the lake. You felt the void as well, I trust?'
The miniature pink cat floated by one of the trees nearest the spring and delicately plucked a few berries from its branches.
A Legendary always feels the void, always more so than others. You share my blood; you share the awareness.
'Is it always so…frightening?'
I will admit, even now, I was disturbed by that emptiness. Instincts. I was only learning now to trust them.
The void always haunts us…you more than all of us.
I sighed. 'Because of my actions after my birth, if it could be called that.'
Mew gazed out of the chamber, her reflection glowing in the rushing waters. And still the same Mewtwo I once fought. But death still preys on you. Maybe too literally.
'Then…Sashara…'
She was intended to be death incarnate. You knew that when you released her. Her visage shimmered slightly.
As were you. But in the darkness, light must always shine. Don't give up on her, Mewtwo. You may be the lights in each other's darkness…
And she was gone.
Wonderful. Even the Legendaries were in on this. The 'light in each other's darkness'…
If there was any chance of Mew being less blindingly obvious, I would assume that little interlude just disproved it.
Letting the matter drop, I floated a few feet from the surface of Clarity Lake and tried to concentrate. Sashara realistically couldn't do anything given the restraints and her own exhaustion.
Focus…
When she wasn't trying to kill me, attack me, or otherwise be antisocial, Sashara had a vaguely comforting presence. She was stretched out underneath one of the cherry trees, her head on her knapsack, oblivious to the world around her.
I didn't risk landing next to her. The only time I could study her was while she slept.
Only Giovanni could create a being like her. Deadly strength and grace, a dark intelligence and wit, but still…those selfsame features never seemed to mar her beauty.
I floated a little lower. Even I could admit that she was a beauty. Black hair covering most of her back; flawless olive skin; a toned, sleek body, neither too thin nor too bulky.
Eyes of fire. As black as her hair…and her soul.
She could best be described as a statue. You could admire the beauty and strength, but otherwise the actual being could not be touched.
A soft cry caught my attention. Not a cry of anger or rage, but a cry of fear.
From her.
The emotionless being was experiencing an emotional reaction.
'…No…I'm not like you…I can't be broken…'
Now this was interesting.
'…My blood...doesn't it count for something?…Hurting…'
Her head rolled off of her makeshift pillow as she tossed and turned in the throes of her dream.
'Not…made for this…can't kill…won't kill…disobey…help me…' Her cries were rapidly transforming into…sobs? From this girl?
Her body seemed to be straining against something. From the movements, it appeared to be a machine of some sort. An unconscious movement I knew all too well.
'…Resist you…escape…NOOOO!!'
She bolted upright, tears streaming down her face. For the briefest moment, I saw fear, hatred…longing in her eyes.
Emotions strong enough to make me flinch at their intensity.
At least before she slapped me across the face and ran towards the surface, throwing a few choice names at me as she left. So much for progress.
But her blood counting for something. The blood of which side? Her Pokemon heritage from Mew, or the human heritage from some unwilling Rocket volunteer?
Needless to say, I intended to find out.
Another day filled with life and light.
Another day without care for many of the Earth's inhabitants.
Another day, another fight to the finish.
She had bravado, I would grant Sashara that much. But her rage and wariness…
Ever since that night, neither of us had possessed the same irrational dislike or distrust of each other that we had originally shared. Somehow a wall had been broken after I had heard her speak in her sleep. Admittedly she was still as stubborn as a Ponyta, but that seemed to be a characteristic of the clones of Mew.
A well-placed Flash dazzled her long enough for me to aim a Psy-Wave at her head. She rolled and dodged the blast, countering with ExtremeSpeed, literally running circles around me. A mistake here could prove costly.
I cast SafeGuard and watched her as she kept up her dizzying pace. Once she started to tire…
There! Now!
The whirlwind of stars hit her body as she stumbled. It took barely a second to Tackle her and pin her to the ground. Speed and strength she might have, but for sheer body weight, Sashara was completely outclassed.
'Ready to try again?'
She smirked, the fire rising in her gaze. 'Only if you try to attack this time instead of sitting on your butt like a Graveller.'
'You're not comparing me to a Rock Pokemon now, are you? You know I don't take insults lightly.'
'Just like I can't take you lightly when you're squashing me. Get off me already.'
Two can play at taunting. I deliberately pinned her arms against the ground and smirked at her. 'Make me.'
Even I felt the Psychic blast in my head. Impressive, but I wasn't about to be deterred.
And as sure as the setting sun, there was no way I was ever going to admit that I was actually starting to enjoy her company, however unbalanced it might be.
The thump on my shoulder abruptly ended that particular train of thought.
Patience was not one of Sashara's virtues. And the way in which she was pinned beneath me was anything but virtuous.
Neither of us were oblivious to this little development either. I backed off before she could hit me again and before she could see the darker purple flush across my face.
The blow didn't come.
But a tentative squeak did.
Are you a Pokemon?
Glad for the distraction, I turned and saw the small brown and cream coloured Pokemon sitting a short distance away from us. How did an Eevee…?
A redundant question. Eevees can breed as prolifically as rabbits given the chance. The clone of Vaporeon must have found a compatible male during her time on Mount Caina. Sure enough, this young one was sturdy and strong. Its coat gleamed while its eyes shone with curiosity. Not terribly surprising since it had never seen any humans before.
Sashara looked at the baby almost warily. I guessed that she had not had much experience with Pokemon except for battling with them and…disposing of them.
An Eevee approaching her with no intention of fighting her was a foreign concept.
No…You're a human! My parents told me of your kind!
She frowned. Obviously she could understand the language of Pokemon. 'I'm not…human. Not fully. And it would probably be best for you to stay away from me.'
Why do you say that?
'I'm dangerous. I could kill you in a second. And I don't want to have to do that unless necessary.'
You don't look dangerous. If Mewtwo is willing to fight you, then he must be able to defeat you.
All of Sashara's buttons had been pushed. She stood up, fists clenched and aura swirling.
'Number one, I'm a human/Pokemon hybrid. I'm dangerous. Number two, no Pokemon, no even Mewtwo, has ever defeated me. Number three, who asked you?'
The Eevee didn't seem perturbed. I'm just saying, your looks are deceiving. And who says Mewtwo intends to defeat you in battle?
She picked the little Pokemon up by the scruff of its neck. 'Don't be deceived. And I can and will kill you if you ever suggest that again.'
Intimidation over, she threw the Eevee at me and stalked off with her knapsack.
I caught the young one and set it back on the ground. It curled its tail around its front paws and stared at Sashara's disappearing figure. She's hiding something.
'Indeed. She is…an enigma.'
And you want to work out that enigma.
'She is a clone, as I am. I want to understand her.'
I do not lie, as I once made clear to my predecessor. I merely omit parts of the truth.
In Sashara's case, I merely omitted the part where I became attracted to her.
TBC