Chapter 23: In The Arms Of A Monster
Blade followed closely behind Shadow, if things carried on as they were their travels would be impeded for quite a while. Shadow had been forced to cut down dozens of pokemon these days. They all seemed oddly violent and hateful toward Blade and this led them to their deaths. Whatever was happening was beyond their knowledge, but whatever it was needed to be stopped. Blade couldn't help but think back over the past weeks. So many deaths, so few things adding up, at least not for Blade, but perhaps Shadow knew something he hadn't said yet. The one thing he found in common was how they all wanted to kill him. Despite watching Shadow brutalize other pokemon they kept coming trying to kill Blade for some reason he didn't know, but even so he reveled in the darkrai's presence. He couldn't get the thoughts from his head.
*Flashback*
Blade held back the pokemon as they attacked him ravenously. Pidove, Excadrill, Scraggy, Fraxure, Charizard, and quite a few others. Holding them back may have been giving Blade more credit than he deserved, he was mostly avoiding getting his ass kicked. Pidove were trying to peck him to death, Excadrill kept diving underground and bursting out just under him, that alone was difficult to avoid, but he managed it by leaping back and twisting his body in mid air spinning once then twice until he landed on his feet again. That's when he was attacked from the side. Scraggy had gone for a surprise attack, which Blade slipped under by bending himself backwards similar to performing a limbo motion. Then from the front Fraxure attacked lunging forth trying to hit him in his chest as he was pulling himself back up. Upon seeing the dragon type pokemon approaching he forced himself back down once again, this time touching the ground with his hand claws and when Fraxure got close he swung his footpaws up kicking Fraxure in the face and effectively throwing himself backwards until he landed once again gracefully. Without hesitation Blade dashed forward at the dragon type. Fraxure dashed forward as well it's body seeming to glow with power. Blade dropped onto his side sliding forward under Fraxure and without skipping a beat the Sneasel coated his claws in ice and slashed through Fraxure's legs. Before he could get to his feet the large charizard slammed him into the ground. Blade gasped as the charizard stomped him down. Charizard began charging a flamethrower in his mouth.
"That's quite enough" Shadow's voice came as the pressure disappeared from Blades chest. Charizard had been forced off of him and was now being held by the jaw. The pitch-black pokemon held his jaw and stared straight into his eyes. "My oh my, you were about to harm my dear Blade. I'm afraid that's something I simply cannot abide." He released the flame pokemon's jaw as the flames burst forth hitting Shadow directly. Through the flames Shadow gripped Charizard's upper and lower jaw and with a vicious pull up and down he wrenched the jaw open until it snapped, then he dropped the body like it was nothing. Then he turned and noticed the other pokemon lunging to attack Blade. With a wave of pure dark energy he sent them all flying away from Blade. Then one by one he slaughtered them. Blood, viscera, flesh, and limbs were tossed about. It only took moments for Shadow to finish them all off. Then he helped Blade to his feet. Even when he was splattered in the remains of his victims Blade didn't hesitate to embrace the darkrai.
*Present*
Blade still thought about it. The question had been posed to him before. 'why would I be with someone so cruel?' Blade had thought of it so many times now it was eating away at him. But seeing Shadow again brought him to his conclusion. As the darkrai embraced him again he understood what it was. 'I…I need him. After everything I went through…I need him in my life.' His thoughts flowed forth as he hugged the pitch-black pokemon. 'My family hated me, they rejected me, and pushed me away….mom was the only one that tried to help me, the only one that cared. She was all I had, everything around me was broken, and with her gone it was all shattered. Then Shadow showed up and he gave me hope, someone that cared for me, something for me to cling to.' It all made sense to the ice type 'That's it….when everything you have feels like it's turning against you, when everything you have is falling apart and shattering around you, you cling with all you have to whatever piece hasn't shattered yet, and….even though Shadow is a monster, he's the only piece I have left that's still whole. He's everything I've got now.'
Shadow pulled away from Blade. "I believe I have discovered the reason for the sudden violence directed toward you, come with me." He led Blade by the claw for a moment and teleported them away. When they reached their destination Shadow had brought them to a rooftop in a populated human city. And he turned the Ice type's attention to a massive screen.
A bespectacled woman sat at a desk talking about the news of the humans. Political drivel, misguided ideals, and brainwashing by the human media. Blade scowled at it then looked to Shadow. "What is it, they're just talking about stupid human shit."
Shadow gently turned Blade's head as the screen changed to a live broadcast. "All trainers in the city are advised now, indefinitely, to avoid having their pokemon breed. And those who are carrying pokemon eggs are advised to not leave the city limits." The camera shifted to a group of wild pokemon chasing down trainers with specifically Sneasel and Weavile. "Trainers with the pokemon Sneasel and Weavile are advised to keep their pokemon confined to their pokeballs. Our sources say the cause of this sudden rampage is indeed a pack of wild Sneasel and Weavile," the pokemon continued to attack trainers without a second thought "and this pack has been ruthlessly stealing and devouring pokemon eggs without hesitation." The camera switched to a massive pile of broken eggs. "This is just one of many groups of eggs found by investigators. For your safety and the safety of your pokemon, please refrain from leaving the city."
Blade was trembling. Seething with rage at what they were showing. "Monsters! How could they do something so horrible. What kind of bastard does that!" He was snarling at the images before him. And it only hurt more what came at the end of the broadcast.
"All Sneasel and Weavile, if not with a trainer, are to be treated as hostile and extremely dangerous until further notice. Avoid them if you can, but don't hesitate to fight if it comes to that."
Blade had to hold back his anger. Shadow gently placed a clawed hand on his left shoulder. "Do not take it personally Blade. You are not responsible for their actions."
"That's…that's not the point." Blade trembled with anger. "They…..they slaughtered them all….." he felt tears welling up in his eyes. "They …they didn't even get a chance….they didn't even get to live yet…" He dropped to his knees. "Who could even think of doing that?!"
"It's in the nature of your kind to do that Blade, it isn't something you should be all too upset about." Shadow went to scratch Blade behind his ear again.
But that statement had only made the Sneasel more angry. He glared at Shadow with an ice cold stare. "In…our…nature?" Blade coated his claw in ice and swept it at Shadow. The pitch-black pokemon moved away from the attack. "FUCK YOU SHADOW!" And he took off running until he hit the edge of the rooftop and took a leap to another nearby rooftop. 'in our nature? What the fuck is wrong with you Shadow? Why would you say something like that….I'd never do anything like that! What an asshole!' Blade could barely see past his tears, was he really like that? Was he a monster too? Was it in his blood, in his nature? No, Blade knew in his heart that wasn't him. He noticed too late that he had separated from Shadow. The distance between them wasn't great, but he regretted running like that. He stopped running and dropped to his knees before curling himself into a ball. "Why did I do that? I'm such an idiot."
"No you aren't, I said something I shouldn't have. It was wrong of me to say that it was part of your nature. You are the most kind hearted Sneasel I've ever met. You are no monster, and I know you would never do something so heinous as that. Only one of us is a monster." Shadow pulled Blade up until he was standing and hugged him tightly. He teleported them away to where he'd taken them from originally. "Blade, I feel I must tell you something. I simply feel you don't understand how I feel about you."
"Shadow?" The smaller male gazed up at the darkrai.
The larger male spoke with an odd tone in his voice, as though he were singing "You're all I ever wanted. All I ever had. You're all I ever needed. And you love me though I'm bad." The words made Blade feel warm inside. Shadow pulled away and gazed into Blade's eyes, such a gorgeous, almost silver color they were, a strange look to pair with his dark blue fur, but Shadow loved it. The darkrai let that singing tone take over again "I hurt you with my words. Healed you with my heart. I doomed you with my habits. And saved you with my love." Shadow felt Blade tremble, not with fear, or anxiety, but passion. The ice type was enthralled. "I gave you all I had. Asked for nothing back. I accepted all you were. And I am your only pack." Shadow took an almost sad tone as the little song continued. "I rarely showed my love. But I gave you my heart. I barely said those words. And I fear it's too late to start." Shadow gave off an odd sensation. Blade was beyond comfortable there. He never wanted this moment to end, and Shadow continued. " You. Are. My. Everything. Until the day I die. Nothing else matters to me. You know that's not a lie." Shadow hugged Blade as the singing tone in his voice vanished. "I'm sorry that I am not who you needed. Sorry, I'm the one you love."
Blade hugged Shadow tight. "Don't you ever apologize for being who you are Shadow." Blade looked into Shadow's brilliant red eye. "Monster or not, I love you. And nothing, will ever change that." The ice type pulled the dark type into a kiss. Shadow caressed Blade's back and sides. After a few minutes they broke away. "Shadow?"
"Yes my dear?"
"Will you help me….hunt down that pack?" Blade held a strong expression as if trying to convince Shadow of his resolve.
"As if you even need to ask. Of course I will, and we shall make them pay for what they've done."