CHAPTER 3: WINTER WOES

Although Natsume and Mewtwo got along very well, that wasn't to say that they never argued. Despite seeming cool to others, they had passionate hearts, so when they did fight, those fights could be sensed clear across campus. Now the two of them arguing wasn't particularly a problem – but them making up afterwards was. If they were a couple and make-up sex was an option, that would probably have taken care of the issue. Instead, they didn't talk to each other for days afterwards, until one of them broke down and apologized.

It was, suffice to say, draining for everyone watching it. Especially the poor empaths.

Amongst the most perilous of their conversational landmines – and the one most often stepped on as they explored the uncertain terrain between them – were their foggy pasts and Natsume's position as the Saffron City Gym Leader.

Natsume took great pride in her job. Not only did she excel at it, but it was also a part of her family's legacy. The position had been passed down to her by her father and by his mother to him. In fact, her grandmother had helped create the Kanto League itself. Even before her grandmother, though, there had been others from the Kurosawa line that had played crucial roles in shaping this region.

Not only that, but Natsume had spent years embracing her psychic abilities and the legacy she'd inherited from her family. She'd accepted the responsibilities that came with them and submersed herself in her role as a gym leader. It was a part of herself as much as her gifts; she couldn't deny it now. She wouldn't deny it because someone else – not even the man(?) she liked – disapproved. He shouldn't even be asking her too, either. He didn't have the right.

Of course, Mewtwo saw things very differently. He had his reasons for that. The League had approved of Sakaki as a gym leader – and that man had manipulated the clone during the most vulnerable part of his life. He'd needed guidance and kindness; he'd gotten someone who'd seen him as a servant instead. That wasn't even touching on the man's other crimes – the ones that had hurt and even killed other pokémon.

In his more cynical moments, Mewtwo believed the worst of the League. He believed it was a system that oppressed pokémon and made it socially acceptable to brainwash them and force them to fight. It was hard for him to see the good the League did, like establishing regional parks and sanctuaries for pokémon, or running breeding and reintroduction programs for endangered species, or having outreach programs for abused pokémon. It was hard for him to see how gently Natsume treated her team and even harder for him to see why her team enjoyed battling. He forgot that once he'd enjoyed it, too; that once he'd relished pitting his abilities against his opponents and getting stronger for it.

Of course, the arena he'd fought in had been a much crueler one. Pokémon had been maimed and died in that pit, succumbing to the wounds they'd had ripped into them or to poison that had been pumped into their veins. Natsume's gym, in contrast, was a place where pokémon roughhoused. Yet when Mewtwo watched those softer battles, the harsher ones floated in front of his eyes, reminding him of what he'd once been a part of – and of what he'd never be clean.

So when the subject inevitably came up, it inevitably triggered a heated argument, complete with objects flying around the room and icy glares. Mewtwo couldn't see why she clung to being a gym leader. After all, she had students to teach and an Academy to run, so why not focus on that instead of senseless violence? She didn't even enjoy battling. Besides, battling went against the pacifistic lifestyle her Shinto shrine promoted. Was her pride more important to her than her beliefs?

Natsume, stiff with anger, had countered that the revenue from the gym was what had funded the Academy in the first place. It still did, more often than not. Although her family had wealth, there was only so much of it they could funnel in the school. Not only that, but the gym was how many of their students had heard about the Academy. Without the gym, they would lose their income and potential students. It simply wasn't a sacrifice they could afford to make.

Besides, being a gym leader was her birthright. If she had children, it would be theirs too…and that brought up another topic they were dancing around. They hadn't spoken of the kiss they'd shared weeks ago. They hadn't acknowledged the attraction it had indicated. Yet the question remained between them: what might they have to give up if they took the steps to see where those feelings might lead...?

If they couldn't get past the gym leader problem, then they'd never get a chance to find out. Eventually, Natsume's parents and the students caught on to what the issue was and conspired to finally resolve it. After several late-night secret meetings (the students insisted that the atmosphere had to be right for such plotting), they drew up a document calling for a truce. They all pitched in their opinions as to why their favorite teachers' spats were, to put it bluntly, "pointless and annoying."

They all signed the document and stapled a pass to one of Saffron's best hotel-and-spas onto it. There, in a cozy honeymoon suite (Natsume's parents insisted on that and smiled scary smiles when the reservation was confirmed) – complete with a king-sized bed, a hot tub, and 24-hour room service – they all hoped that the pair would…well, pound out their problems. Really, if the two weren't relaxed afterwards – hell, if they didn't come back glowing from a night of well- spent making up – then the rest of the Academy would be very disappointed. After all, that would mean more nights at the drawing board and new exchanges around the betting pool, and some of really wanted to have a proper sleep schedule again.

They needn't have worried so much. Natsume and Mewtwo knew that their arguments were only hurting themselves. They also knew that they couldn't avoid talking about the kiss forever. So they would have talked it out at some point…it just might have taken longer if the members of the Academy had not intervened. At first the two were surprised when they were presented with the pass and a sealed envelope with a post-it note on it. The note read: Open this after dinner tonight in your room 3. Both of them stared at the little heart for a while, before turning back to their suddenly angelic students and chastising them for involving themselves in their personal affairs.

Even so, when classes let out, the two packed their overnight bags and took a taxi to the hotel. They both attended their spa appointments and then met up at the pool when those were done. This proved to be a mistake. After attempting to, in the lifeguard's words, "drown each other and the other patrons in the pool over a lovers' spat," the psychics were banned to their room for the night. Smarting from embarrassment, they bickered a bit over who got to use the shower first, but agreed to share a sushi dinner and several bottles of sake. Then, as they snatched the choicest morsels from each other's plates, they opened the envelope and pulled out its contents. They read the official-looking document first.

Dear Headmistress Kurosawa and Mister Yuè,

On behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa and the students of Senninso Academy, we hereby request that you work out your problems in the hotel suite we have generous booked for you for tonight. Whether you work them out by talking or through other, more physical means is up to you (though some of us would prefer you to do the latter, since we're on the verge of losing our bets).

If our demand is not met, we'll combine our strength to keep you from the grounds until you've made up. While we know your combined strength would probably overwhelm us, we're willing to faint from psychical exhaustion if it will force you to work together again. We're that determined to get you to renew your courtship. Also, neither of you are nice to be around when you're angry.

Note from Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa: We agree with the kids here! If you don't go back to your normal flirting routine, we'll be most put out! :(

Anyway, we've compiled our reasons for why you should lay down arms. We've tried to explain to Mister Yuè how Headmistress Kurosawa's status as a gym leader – and a prestigious one at that – drew us to Senninso Academy. We are also of the firm opinion that her status should be respected, not scorned. We've also implore Headmistress Kurosawa to consider Mister Yuè's reasons for finding her occupation distasteful. After all, she may risk losing something special is she continues blindly clinging to her pride.

We hope you two will be amiable by tomorrow morning. Please enjoy your suite, too, because it was damned pricey!

With regards,

Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa & Your Students

Natsume and Mewtwo took the time to read the letter over a couple more times. Then Natsume said, "I don't know whether I should turn them all into dolls for meddling or be touched by their concern. Though do they really think they can keep us from our homes for any amount of time?"

"No, I think they know better than that. Though if that is what is takes to force us to work together…."

"Can I still be upset with them for betting on us having make-up sex?"

"Oh, I intend to test their mental shields as soon as we return. We will see how they like someone forcing their way into their private lives."

How could they possible think this is appropriate? We're more than capable of resolving our problems on our own. We do not need a bunch of teenagers or, heaven forbid, my parents to interfere. I can't believe they helped write this! We'll see if they get that nice spa weekend I was planning to send them on for their anniversary…."

And a few minutes of simmering, Mewtwo spoke again. "Should we look at the rest of these papers like they wished?"

Natsume, pulling her bathrobe tighter around her, sighed. "We might as well. I daresay we have enough alcohol to get us through it."

So the pair of psychics poured over the notes their students had written them. Some were quite lengthy, telling stories about how Natsume had inspired them as they'd struggled with their powers or about the battles she'd fought for their sake (since the earnings of the gym went to their education). Some described the hardships their students had faced before coming here, as well as how the Academy had improved their lives. Some also described some of the nastier battles they or their pokémon had been forced to participate in; many couldn't go near the gym now because of it. By the end, Natsume was wondering whether or not it would be appropriate to offer a hug to the students whose handwriting she recognized. Or rather, she might after she'd forgiven them for invading her privacy where Mewtwo was concerned.

Speaking of Mewtwo, he'd gone quiet half an hour ago. She glanced over at him. He looked like he was lost in thought. She wondered if he was all right.

Seeing her glance over at him, he murmured, "I am fine. I am merely considering what they said."

Which part, she wondered? Was it the part about the abuse they'd faced before coming here, or the part about the haven they'd found and bonds they'd formed in the Academy?

As it turned out, he was considering the latter. "Do you truly treat your team like family?" he asked.

She met his eyes. "Yes. Of course I do. Have I ever given you any reason to doubt that?"

"You own a whip. Are you saying you have never used it?"

"Never. It was a gift from Ibuki from when I earned my license. I only carry it around for show. I would never dream of using it on anyone."

Sincerity radiated from her, as strong to his psychic senses as the scent of her body wash was to his nose. He drank his sake, the alcohol warming him, and considered how to respond. Remembering the notes of the students, he said, "Then you are a much kinder master than the one I once had."

Natsume, hearing the bitterness in his voice, laid a hand on his and said, "Tell me about him."

He did. He told her about the cloning experiments that had made him, about the tests that had followed, and about his service under Sakaki. He told her about the armor that had suppressed his powers to the point of pain and disorientation, and about the battles that had grown bloodier as time had gone on. While he had never known the taste of the lash –

Sakaki had had a pretense he'd aimed to uphold – he'd seen other pokémon be treated cruelly for losing a battle or shirking at order. It had become clear to him that the strong ground the weak beneath their heels, and he had resolved to never become one of them….

Throughout it all, Natsume held his paw. After he was done, she whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

He sighed. "You could not have. It is…comforting, though, to know you do not uphold a similar ideology at your gym."

After a moment, she said, "We could report him to the League. He would be stripped of his title if-"

"If there is one thing Sakaki excels at, it is subterfuge. Reporting him would amount to little, I'm afraid. All it would accomplish is drawing his attention to you and your school – and as these letters have made clear, we cannot afford to invite such trouble onto your students."

"But what about you? You deserve justice for what happened to you."

Mewtwo, a bit uncertainly, reached out and cradled her chin in his fingers. "You have a noble spirit, Natsume. I admire that about you. I always have. But I do not want justice – I want peace. And I have found that here, with you. Please do not do something that would threaten that."

Natsume stared at him for a long moment, but then reluctantly nodded. "Alright. If that is what you want, then that is what we'll do."

"Thank you."

"If…Mewtwo, my career is very important to me. I take pride in what I've accomplished. But if it makes you uncomfortable – you don't have to go anywhere near the gym."

He considered that. "…That would…be preferable. However, it is a part of your life. It should not become a taboo subject between us." His finger stroked at the line of her jaw idly. "Perhaps in time, I can move past this. But it will take time, Natsume."

"Alright. Just don't force yourself." She sighed. "Are we alright?"

He smiled. "I think we will be fine."

Natsume smiled back. "Good."

"Now what about your past? I have heard a number of outlandish rumors…."

She looked slightly wary, but after a gulp of sake, she told him what he wanted to know. She told him how she, like her students, had been ostracized and bullied when she had been younger. She told him how she'd eventually given up on trying to bond with other people, turning her attention to learning how to control her powers instead. Her self-training had eventually become obsessive, to the point where she had pushed her parents away and destroyed her childhood home. The split between her younger, happier self who'd yearned to play, and the cold adult she'd become through her training, had, due to her powers, manifested quite literally.

That smaller part of her, exorcised by her adult mind, had manifested as a spirit of sorts, capable of interacting with others physically if it wished. Eventually – and largely due to the influence of a boy from Pallet Town – the rift between those two side had been mended and the spirits had vanished. Now she was whole again and had made a lot of progress in becoming less socially stunted. If nothing else, her experience made it easy for her to empathize with her students – and with Mewtwo, who had gone through hardships as well, albeit not ones of his own making.

Mewtwo processed that information for a long while, but then nodded. "Children do have a way of inspiring adults. They see things more clearly than we do, at times."

"Have you been around a lot of them?" Natsume asked, sounding faintly amused.

"A few. One of them helped me out of a…dark period of my life. I was not…altogether sane after my time with Sakaki. I made some very poor choices and…suffice to say it is not a time I like thinking about," he said. "In any case, the boy aided me again when Sakaki found me and tried to harm the pokémon under my care at the time. I am grateful to him, as you are to your boy."

Natsume nodded. "Do you think you'll be able to tell me then rest of your story, someday?"

"…Perhaps someday. Not tonight, though." He leaned over to her, taking the bottle from her hand and setting it aside. "For now, I would much rather focus on more pleasant things."

She smirked slightly and didn't lean away. "Such as?"

"You kissed me-"

She blushed. "Very impulsively. I wouldn't normally-"

"I enjoyed it. I would like to try it again, if you're not adverse to the idea," he said, his heart pounding a little hard as he cupped her cheek.

Natsume leaned towards him. "I'm not."

He smiled. "Good."

He shifted so he was human again and pressed his lips against hers, gently at first. He heard her breath catch and felt her tongue trace his lower lip, so he obliged her by deepening it. It was easily one of the nicest, warmest acts he'd experienced. As it went on, he became more aware of her smell (something flowery), of how soft she was, or how close she was, of how aware he suddenly was of both of their bodies. That they were both wrapped up in bathrobes and nothing else opened up a lot of possibilities he'd barely even considered before. Those possibilities both frightened and excited him, but with Natsume…he thought he would be okay exploring them, and this new side of himself, with her….

The next day, there was no need for Natsume's parents or their students to bar them from returning. They walked through the gates arm in arm, smiling and talking about light matters. Things like what they might have for lunch later, or what they would teach their students, or what books they were reading now.

Mewtwo, in that happy haze, ignored the stares and (smug) smiles they were getting. Seeing one of the younger students playing with a stuffed animal, he remembered something he's forgotten to ask her. "By the way, is it true you are able to turn people into dolls?" he asked lightly.

Natsume's eyes glinted. "I will neither confirm nor deny this."

He chuckled. "Another rumor, then. That is what I thought."

Natsume just smiled and patted his hand. Some things were better left unsaid. Besides, she didn't want to spoil the mystery for him.

It would be more fun this way.