It had been weeks since it happened, the destroyed life slowly rotting away in the tank for all to see.
Many have tried to wash it out, yet the emotional pain was too much, unable to go near, not even to try covering it.
Even Sebastian, one many would expect to handle such a difficult chore couldn't even do it. He wasn't able to bring himself to face the reality that the last thing connecting him to Fuji was gone.
The thought alone made him sick, his hatred for Giovanni building to the point he would be bedridden, his emotions becoming too much.
Tyson stayed, having been ordered in case the professor decided to go through with his threat to destroy the twins.
But he knew the other wouldn't, he could see it in his eyes, he cares too much about these Pokémon. It had been merely a bluff to try and dissuade Giovanni from killing the third clone, but it had failed.
He never felt such anger at his boss, how callous he was to just flip that switch, destroying the life inside.
Team Rocket has killed before, but seeing this, it made him sick.
Giovanni is stepping out of bounds, way out of bounds. If his mother was around still, she would've set that damn bastard straight!
She would never allow it, even if it cost her money, she would've found a way to make that money back. As Sebastian said, that child would've been the first successful human clone. A lot of money would've been earned with that kind of success, especially in the black market.
Speaking of the ingenious professor, he found him in his room, a bottle of whiskey lying by his side.
Angered that he'd take up drinking on the job, he snatched the nearly empty bottle away. He nearly jumped though when the other began to talk numbly, unsure if he even knew someone was present.
"Why do I get this rotten luck?" Sebastian asked, gazing at the wall, almost not entirely there, worrying the younger man.
"Professor…"
"Don't call me that… You really don't remember, do you? You don't remember him at all?" he asked, turning to face the younger man, his face hard to read.
It was in anguish, that much was obvious, but there were so many other emotions swirling about, it was hard to tell what he was feeling exactly.
"What?"
"Do you know how we got to know each other?"
"I…"
How did they get to know one another?
It wasn't through a job, it was something else, someone else that brought them together, to become friends.
"I…I can't remember, it's a fog," he admitted, ashamed of his answer, seeing a bitter smile on his face.
"I wish I was like that, maybe then I wouldn't be like this."
"What happened here?"
"It wasn't here, it was Mewtwo."
"The clones?"
"No, the original clone. There was one before them."
"How? How do you know that?"
"I saw him after he destroyed the lab, killed people, killed the man who brought us together as friends."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I don't know, maybe if I had, I could've saved Amber. But I forgot, silly huh? I didn't get my memory wiped, but at that moment, I forgot."
Tyson was speechless, not knowing what to say to the other, seeing him so depressed, the smile not reassuring him.
Was there a chance he may actually commit suicide?
Possibly take the clones down with him, either to save them or get back at Giovanni for killing that human clone?
"You're going to report this to Giovanni, aren't you? Tell him my team and I kept this big secret from everyone. We're probably the only ones who know about Mewtwo; know how we came across the DNA. The team that worked on Mewtwo, the man who got me part of this project."
"Thomas Fuji…" Tyson gasped, the memories flooding back, almost painful, everything in a jumble, struggling to try and put it together.
"You remember?"
Sebastian looked over, seeing the man clutching his head with one hand, taking deep breaths to keep himself from passing out.
Once the room stopped spinning, he gave the other a mournful look, enough for the other to know he remembered.
The other felt tears beginning to form as memories of them and Fuji out in bars or at headquarters, having fun, talking him into cutting loose.
"You were raped, I helped cover for you two so you can get looked at," he whispered, the other cringing having that memory brought up. "I covered you before, I'll cover you again."
Realizing what he meant, the scientist stared at the brunette, eyes wide, unsure if he heard him correctly.
"If Giovanni finds out…"
"He won't, I'm the only one here. I told him I could watch you, keep you and your team out of trouble."
"Th-thank you…"
"Shiranui, I know you've been trying to take care of Amber's body. I think I have an idea how to pay respect to her."
"What?"
"Remember what Tom said he did for her?"
Recalling the words, how the tale was repeated when Tyson was curious of Fuji's involvement in Team Rocket.
"Cremation…"
Nodding, he saw the other give a bitter smile, slowly getting out of bed.
"We can hold a small service, the least we can do for her. We can even perform one for him too. They both deserve it."
"Yes…" he sighed before a thought crossed his mind. "Tyson, do you believe in an afterlife?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you?"
"I guess so; it never really crossed my mind. Why do you ask?"
"Thomas told me he was able to bring her consciousness back, that she'd remember everything up to her death. If that is true, what would her reaction be to finding out her father's gone? That he died at the hands of something he was made to create just to bring her back?"
"Put it that way, she would be pretty upset…"
"Exactly, maybe in a cruel twist of fate, it's better this way. Thomas wanted to reunite with his child. If there truly is an afterlife, they may already be reunited."
"And if that's the case, she could've been pulled away, brought back to the living, possibly recalling or something?"
"Maybe… I never really focused much on spirits. No one in my family was religious. You could say I'm pretty ignorant to it."
"I don't think so. You made pretty good points so far," Tyson reassured, placing a gentle hand on the other's shoulder.
"Guess I have."
Going down the halls, Tyson offered to collect everyone and if willing to wait a day or two, get proper clothing to wear.
Thanking him, he got to work in finally draining the tank, storing it into a more portable one and placing it into the freezer.
Whatever there was of her was too tiny and degraded, it was easier to freeze it all and crush it into a fine powder to scatter.
Within four days, things were set, everyone dressed in formal wear, Attila and Hun called to join, knowing the latter would've wanted to join.
Gathered together, the night gracefully cool to avoid the frozen powder melting right away, they stood near a lake, one Sebastian felt was suitable.
The forest was so beautiful, peaceful even, the sky clear for stars to shine, the wild Pokémon roaming about making minimal noise. It was as if they knew what they were doing, curious or willing to mourn from afar.
They each shared words, most of them regarding Fuji, how great a man he was, the heart he had, the love he shared for his daughter.
When it came to Sebastian's turn, he nearly choked, managing to make his own little speech, ironically being the most impacting.
He spoke similar words, yet they were deeper, others putting it together just how precious the deceased man had been to him. The type of bond he had for him was far greater than any of them would have suspected.
The love he held for him immense, seeing it from how broken he was of Fuji's passing, living with the regret of never telling him his feelings, losing Amber.
By the time he finished, nearly everyone was in tears, those normally holding stoic appearances feeling their eyes burning, barely holding back the waves. Others not as emotionally stable broke down, sobbing into hands or someone's shoulder and chest.
Once everyone had calmed somewhat, the powdery remains set to be scattered, Tyson taking care of task, seeing his two friends were too distraught.
For once, they actually felt human, even Attila moved by this, having never seen his partner so emotional.
Watching the powder float away, some landing in the water to become one with it, the rest caught in the wind, carried off to as far as they would go.
The sight was disturbingly beautiful, sounds of sobs still heard, most coming from Cassie, her face buried into Davin's chest.
As they returned to the lab, the two agents were convinced to stay for the remainder of the night. They were tired, it was obvious, so they agreed, choosing to leave when the sun rises to resume their search for a Key Stone.
As they came in, Sebastian decided to show the two the sleeping clones, both in awe at the sight.
"They're beautiful," Hun whispered before he could stop himself.
"They're the fruits of mine and my team's labor, of Thomas' labor even. If he had never found them, they wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be here, none of us would be here right now. We may never have become friends, merely saw one another as coworkers, maybe as pawns."
"In some ways, this project brought us all together, one way or another," the silver haired man spoke as he gingerly brushed his hand along the tank.
"Do you think they're dreaming?" Attila asked as he saw how innocent his partner looked, unable to suppress a thin smile.
"I can't be for certain, maybe they are, maybe they're not. Unlike with Amber, when Thomas tried, when I tried to bring her back, no attempt to bring their consciousness back was ever made."
"So either they're minds are completely blank, or they may be dreaming of their previous life?" the blonde wondered.
"It might simply be something we may never know," Sebastian spoke as he showed them their spare rooms.
"Pro…Shiranui, if you need anything, call us," Hun spoke, turning to his friend with a thin smile. "We'll help you with whatever you need regarding them."
"I appreciate it, I really do," he smiled as they eventually parted ways to sleep.
When he lied down, he looked up at the ceiling; eyes slowly closing, for the first time in a long while, the nightmares were kept at bay.
Little easier to write, but not as happy with how it came out, length wise mostly.
I was going to have this and Chapter 8 as one, but I couldn't find a way to meld them together or something.
Any advice on how I could lengthen this chapter or possibly take pieces to put into the previous/next chapter would be great.
Please read and review