Chapter 53: Suffering In Paradise

Disclaimer: this may be the most sexually graphic chapter I ever write, and it is a completely non consensual situation, you have hereby been warned.

Everything passed so quickly that Blade had little memory of the days immediately following the events regarding Ashachu. One memory came more clearly into focus than the others, that being, getting taken to the Pokémon Centre, gripped tightly in Charizard's claw.

All the pain, humiliation, and rage…That he remembered vividly.

*Flashback*

Charizard had him pinned to the ground, holding him under his foot. "I'll kill you," Blade yelled venomously at Ashachu, then the others. "One day Shadow will come for me and I'll make you all fucking dead. Man, he's killed so many of you, I'm surprised he hasn't run out of ways to brutalize Charizard's." He turned his attention to the larger fire type.

"Oh, be quiet," Charizard said. "You have no control over what happens now!"

He could hear singing coming their way…

"Chan, Chan Chan Chansey, Chansey."

Blade's eyelids had felt heavy suddenly and he had fallen asleep in moments. The next moments of his life had occurred in blurry flashes. Today was the first day he had felt himself again. His mind had managed to clear a bit.

He'd awoken, to his surprise, in a soft comfortable bed. In a softly lit room. He sat up and rubbed his head, and found himself almost nose to nose with a Lilligant.

"Whoa." Blade scrambled backwards, startled at finding this Pokémon in his personal space.

"Oh, you're finally awake," the Lilligant said happily. "How are you feeling. Better?"

"Ahhh, who are you," Blade demanded. "What do you want? Tell me or I'll kill you." He extended a claw in a threatening manner.

Lilligant was not intimidated. In fact, the sight of the claw made it laugh. It put a paw to it's face and giggled. "Hehehe. They warned me you'd be like that."

Blade glared at Lilligant. "I wasn't joking."

Lilligant continued to giggle. "I doubt you're strong enough to have any real chance with me. Now come on, master is waiting for you."

"What…Agh!"

Lilligant pulled Blade by the claw getting him out of bed and out of the room. For such a petite looking Pokémon, Lilligant was strong, and fast. They moved so quickly that Blade had no opportunity to take in the facility.

That was until they reached a room with what appeared to be a greenhouse. Decorated with a lush garden and white walkways. That's when he confirmed it, with a sinking feeling in his gut taking hold. Blade had been brought back to Aether Paradise.

"Here he is," Lilligant sang happily as they finally came to a halt. "Blade the Sneasel."

A table covered in a white tablecloth had been set up in the middle of one of the walkways. And sitting at the table were the last two humans Blade wanted to see right now, beside perhaps Ash and his friends.

Lusamine, the blond-haired president of the Aether Foundation, and Lyte, the spiky haired young scientists in a lab coat. They had with them two Pokémon. A blue Meowstic who sat perched on Lyte's shoulder. The other was a Beware, standing behind Lusamine.

Despite Lyte's previous actions to help Blade, something about him being here felt wrong, as if there was something darker to the blue haired scientist in this moment. As though he had done something horrible. The regret and pain was nearly palpable to Blade, but he chose to ignore it.

There were a few other humans moving about on the walkway, dressed in white Aether Employee uniforms. One was holding a large coffee pot, pouring the strong-smelling black liquid into the blond woman's cup.

"Ahhh there you are Blade," Lusamine said in a sickly-sweet voice as she laid eyes on him. "Welcome home dear!"

Her voice was so repulsive to Blade, and the way she spoke to him even more so. He felt a deep apprehension grip him. And this "paradise" certainly did not feel like home to Blade.

"You must be hungry. Please take a seat." Lusamine gestured to an empty seat across the table from her.

Blade's first thought was to refuse, but one look at the Beware told him otherwise. The Pokémon was much larger than him and looked like it might break him in half if he didn't do what Lusamine wanted. Blade thought he could take his chances in a fight, but didn't want to run the risk of losing. Not yet, anyway.

The chair was simultaneously too low and too high for him. His feet didn't touch the ground, but his head was only just above the table. It was, of course, designed with humans, not small Pokémon in mind.

"Here you go," said Lusamine, pushing a large plate of fruit towards him. "Eat, you're skin and bones."

Part of Blade was suspicious of the offering. It wasn't wise to accept food from someone who had imprisoned him. However, his instinct…and his stomach…told him it was better to eat.

Plus, that Lyte was here…He probably wouldn't allow any harm to come to Blade, would he? Yet, he could still feel like something was off with him. As though he was guilt ridden. It was odd, but it was almost like Blade could smell his unease.

Regardless, he didn't know when he would be fed again. He picked up an apple in his right claw and shoved into his maw. It was, in the simplest terms, delicious. Blade devoured it quickly, before helping himself to another. Very soon there was nothing left on the plate. Not the feast he had become accustomed to, but when you're a prisoner you have little choice in anything.

Lusamine beamed at him. "Very good. Is that tasty?"

Blade refused to reply. He wasn't going to let Lusamine infantilize and mock him.

"Now we have a bit to talk about, unfortunately," she said, her tone was suddenly serious, whereas previously it had been sweet and, to Blade at least, sickening. "It seems that the Pokémon Centre in Petalberg City has flagged you as potentially dangerous before sending you to us. Something about trying to kill a certain Pikachu who was also your lover."

Blade felt a flush of anger at this suggestion. "That Pikachu had it coming," he growled. 'The little bastard lied to me! He practically stomped my heart into the dirt, and he had the audacity to say he had feelings about me! He said that, but couldn't even trust me with his stupid name!'

Lusamine pursed her lips. "Quiet. We've also become aware that, prior to coming here the first time, you were having a sexual relationship with an extremely violent Darkrai called Shadow!"

Blade was filled with anxiety and excitement at the very mention of Shadow's name. "Shadow! Where is he, is he here?"

"Don't look too excited," said Lusamine. "I'm afraid Shadow is a very long way away from here. He's in a far away region in a secret facility, where he will shortly be put to death. I'm afraid you are never going to see or speak to that Pokémon again."

"What?!" The words hit Blade like a sucker punch. Shadow was far away…going to be put to death. It couldn't be true…He didn't accept it. He waved his claw dismissively at Lusamine. "Nah, whoever's got him will never be able to keep him. Just wait. He'll break out. And then he'll come for me. And you don't want to be around when that happens."

Lusamine gave him a curious stare for a moment, while Lyte watched him with concern. There was a moment of silence, then Lusamine brushed off his statement as dismissively as Blade had brushed off her's. "Whatever you need to tell yourself… It may interest you to know I've had a Pokémon Connoisseur draw a preliminary analysis of you based on your behavior the last time you were here. It raises concerns that your ability to relate to other Pokémon is damaged due to previous abusive relationships. First with your father, and second with Shadow."

'The audacity of this bitch!' Blade shook his head. "Shadow didn't abuse me. Cleave did, but Shadow didn't."

"And you in turn were abusive to poor little Ashachu."

"He deserved it." Blade growled. 'All I ever did was help him, but he lied to me from the moment I met him, I put everything on the line to help him, and he couldn't trust me with that one Arceus damned thing!'

Lusamine ignored him. "Here at the Aether Foundation we aim to help Pokémon who have been hurt or abused, by humans or otherwise, to heal, to be safe and to be reintroduced to the wild. Or to go to trainers who will care for them."

"I don't want to go to a trainer. I want to be free," Blade retorted.

"Quiet. But sadly, for us to be able to release you back into the wild, we need to be certain that you won't pose a risk to the environment, or to Ashachu."

Blade scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Well then you've got your grubby claws full haven't you." Then under his breath, "I am never going to forgive that piece of shit."

'But you want to' a voice stabbed into the back of his head. It was his own voice. 'Much as you hate to admit it, you still care about him.'

"There are other complications as well," continued Lusamine as if she hadn't heard Blade's comment. "Sneasel are quite unpopular with breeders due to their propensity to steal and eat eggs. Many of my employees don't want your kind in this facility. And sadly, this fact has led to the dwindling of the numbers of Sneasel and Weavile here in Alola. But I believe that every creature has a right to exist and to live their best life. And I was very much hoping that you might help me to rebuild the Sneasel population on the island."

Blade folded his arms and frowned. "And how would I do that?" He didn't like where this was going.

"There's somebody I want you to meet!"

*Later*

Blade had been led down onto the grass below the walkway…wasn't this the spot where he and Ashachu had…

"Now Blade. I know this is about to be very confronting for you," said Lusamine as she drew a Pokéball. "I had hoped to arrange counselling for you before this, but therapy for Pokémon is unfortunately fairly non-existent. ."

Blade was starting to feel unnerved. His heart started suddenly racing, and his mouth felt dry. He didn't know why, but his instincts were telling him that something very bad was going to happen.

"I have set things up to help you both get past your previous feelings for each other. This is a little experimental, but with a little luck." Lusamine lowered her arm, preparing to toss the Pokéball into the air.

Before she could do so, Lyte grabbed her by the arm. "Wait…Lusamine, I'm really not sure this is a good idea. It's far too soon. You haven't even…"

Pop…

Lusamine hadn't yet thrown the ball. It simply burst open in the palm of her hand, releasing the Pokémon within. A burst of light that took material form in the grass, similar in body shape to Blade except with a crown like ornament on his head as opposed to just a single feather.

"….Weavile…"

It gazed at Blade with mischievous eyes as an evil grin spread across its maw, revealing two sharp looking fangs.

Lusamine's tutted and rolled her eyes. "Shit…Why do you keep doing that?" She then turned to the walkway and shouted, "Alright, turn it on."

There was a hissing sound from somewhere nearby, and a mist begun to fill the air above them. It must have come from a sprinkler system somewhere in the ceiling…

"sneasel…"

Blade's entire brain had stopped working. Nearly overloaded by the emotions of seeing his father again. He felt like his soul had been knocked from him, and he was watching from the sidelines as his body moved on pure instinct.

In a burst of speed he rushed Cleave, a snarl across his face and his right claw reaching for the Weavile's throat. Blade was trying to kill him…Pure and simple. No more being afraid, no more being abused. No more pain.

"Ha…" The broad grin on the Weavile's face broadened as he brought a claw up to meet Blade's.

The two quickly disappeared into a flurry of dust. Within the dust Blade swept one leg, trying to knock Cleave off his feet. The Weavile jumped in time to avoid it and managed to cut Blade's face. Cleave struck again, only for Blade to catch his claw and throw him over his shoulder directly into the ground kicking up more dust. Cleave recovered immediately, throwing his legs up in a spin as he jumped to his feet.

Lusamine's eyes widened in alarm. "Guys…Guys stop," She yelled. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't this. "Cleave, get off him. Blade, don't…Yah." She and Lyte had to jump out of the way to avoid being knocked over and the two continued to scratch, bite and throw themselves at the other.

Blade slid under Cleave and kicked him in the back. Only for Cleave to turn in his heels and pull Blade by the leg into another attack, cutting his chest.

"The damn incense isn't working," Lusamine mumbled. She turned her head over the shoulder to yell at someone on the walkway. "Turn on the affinity enabler."

"It is on," somebody yelled back – a large man in a set of Aether employee overall who spoke with a Scottish accent.

"Then turn it up!"

"She's as high as she'll go. I cannot turn her up no more!"

Lusamine groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of…Cleave, Blade stop fighting. Cleave, as your master I order you to stop attacking. Use your words, you stupid pair of."

Cleave slashed Blade across the face again, and slammed his knee into the smaller males stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The fight was over in that move as Cleave knocked Blade to the ground and locked his arms around Blade's, and finally locking down his neck, leaving Blade defenseless and defeated.

"I don't think they're listening," said Lyte.

And with that the fight was over. Cleave had always been the stronger and larger of the two. To add to the hold he had, he pressed his knee into Blade's back as he pushed Blade onto all fours.

"Wea Weavile Wea…" He growled cruelly, tilting Blade's head up to look into his devilish eyes.

Blade froze. Suddenly his rage vanished, replaced by an unbridled fear as he felt something rather large for him poking him in his rump. He knew what was coming and he was completely powerless to stop it. After all this time, he was still that weak Sneasel runt. Hot tears started streaming down his cheeks as he felt it pressing against him.

"Lusamine, recall Cleave," said Lyte desperately, as Cleave shoved Blade's head in the grass with his free paw, while lining himself up with Blade's entrance.

Lusamine coxed her head curiously and held up a hand. "Wait, this could be what we want."

"No, NO," cried Lyte, his eyes widening. "We can't allow this to happen to Blade. Recall him, for Arceus sake before…"

Lyte was afraid, and rightly so, even with the knowledge that Shadow was to be put to death, the very notion that he was still alive meant that anyone even remotely responsible for this, would die horribly. And not just them, their friends, family, pets. Lyte knew that if Shadow escaped and found out, he'd put the final pen stroke on the history of the Aether Foundation.

To his sorrow and terror, Blade screamed out in pain as he felt his insides stretched to accompany the large object forcing itself inside. Waves of pain wracked his body and Blade sobbed harder than ever. He thrashed, trying to free himself, but the Weavile on top of him only took that as an invitation. Cleave started cutting his face until he pulled him up and slammed his head to the ground again. Blade sobbed wishing he could leave his body, that everything would just end already.

"Weavile wea weavile wea wea…." The Weavile laughed and growled as he thrust in and out of the poor Sneasel. Slow at first, then faster with no thought as to the Sneasel's wellbeing. Cleave smiled sadistically as he forced Blade to turn his head and look him in the eyes. The ravenous nature of his thrusts only grew more and more relentless. He would abuse the Sneasel beneath him any way he wanted. He leaned down, barely speaking above a whisper. "I should have done this sooner. You're so much tighter than your mother. A shame I didn't use you more when I had the chance."

Blade shuddered trying to wriggle and writhe out of Cleave's grasp only to have the Weavile strike him in the head again and lean in once more. "Once that darkrai is dead, I'll come back to make you my own personal toy, and you'll learn to love it, you pathetic runt. Now be good for daddy and beg…"

"Snea…Snea…Sneasel." To Blade's horror, he felt his insides become hot and wet as Cleave released inside of him. The Weavile's essence filled him and poured over his rear and down his legs.

Lyte wanted to vomit, he hated himself for letting this go on so long, and he had finally seen enough. "Meowstic use disarming voice."

The meowstic on his shoulder leapt to the floor and fired a beam of purple hearts from its maw. A terrible sound filled the conservation area.

"Wea…Weavile." Cleave turned his head, just in time to see the beams before they struck him in the neck. The force of impact knocked him right off Blade, freeing the poor Sneasel.

But Blade slumped to the ground, unable to move, his body traumatized by the ordeal.

Cleave landed on his back in the grass, but he was quickly back on his feet. He raised his claws and snarled at Meowstic. But Lusamine acted before matters could get worse.

"Cleave, return…"

Blade opened his eyes and rolled onto his back, all his poor abused body could manage. He could feel Cleave's…well, really just Cleave, still inside him. Like his body was reliving the last few moments over and over. Filling him up. His insides felt like they were on fire. He felt humiliated…small and powerless, just like he had when he was a child.

"Blade." He heard Lyte's voice from somewhere above. "Are you okay?" Blade really wanted Shadow right now. But, according to Lusamine, Shadow was gone. Far away and would soon be dead. He no longer had Hikari…Or Raiee, or Pyre or Rai or anyone else. He was well and truly alone. He felt himself go numb.

He didn't resist when Lyte picked him up in his arms. And he fell into unconsciousness.

*A Few Days Later*

"Wake up sleepy head…It's morning…"

"Ugh…Already." Blade had awoken sooner than he would have liked, by a gentle paw stroking him on the side of the head. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his claws to find the small, pointed face of a Sandshrew close to his. "Man, how many times do I have to tell you Shrew? Not so close…"

Sandshrew was the first, and really only, friend Blade had made here in the Aether Paradise. The only one who had listened and empathised with him about Cleave and the only one that had let him live in his burrow. Had it not been for Sandshrew, Blade didn't think he would have lasted even the short time he had spent here.

Still…he needed his personal space. He gave the Pokémon a push in the chest, moving him off his legs.

"And I thought we agreed, no touching."

Sandshrew just giggled. "As I recall you TOLD me no touching. I never agreed to anything…Goodness you're so cold. Literally!"

Blade rolled his eyes and let out a short groan. He was getting really sick of that joke. "Haha real funny."

"Never gets old…Anyway, I brought you some breakfast." Sandshrew handed him a bowl full of Pokéchow.

Blade wrinkled his nose at the sight. "Ugh…More human food. Where are the berries?" The food the humans supplied was revolting, it was, in the simplest way possible, the bare minimum of food.

Sandshrew giggled again and rolled his eye. "Oh, come on. Don't pretend you don't enjoy this. I saw you wolf it down yesterday. And the day before that. And before that."

"And it never occurred to you that I might just be hungry, and this is what there is to eat." Blade frowned.

"Nope."

Blade shrugged and took the bowl off Sandshrew. He'd rather die than admit it, but he did love the food here at the Aether Paradise. But of course, he would. Most of the Pokémon did. It was specially formulated and made to correspond to their type and, in some cases, species.

And that's what bothered him the most, it wasn't real, it was all just some concoction by humans, and the fact that humans were involved at all made him sick.

However, admitting that would mean admitting he had a need or a dependence on humans. And he couldn't have that…

Sandshrew beamed at him as he started to eat. "See. You like it."

Blade didn't respond, he simply focused on eating.

"So, what do you want to do today," Sandshrew asked. "We could go for a walk. Or we could go swimming. Or you could battle on that Growlithe. He's been acting like he owns the place. Time somebody taught him a lesson."

"I think I'll just go back to sleep," Blade replied.

Sandshrew sighed and put his paws on his hips. "Look, you can't stay in the den for the rest of your life. Your fur will start to fall out. You need to get out. To run around and be a Pokémon…If you're worried about him, you shouldn't. Lusamine's not here today. Heard one of the employees saying he was in Galar."

"I'll be fine."

Sandshrew just shook his head. "Seriously. If you don't come out with me today, I'm going to get Ninetails to smoke you out…"

Blade groaned yet again and closed his eyes. "Fine, I'll go for a walk with you…Pushy."

A wide grin spread across Sandshrew's face. "Yah! Come on then."

Blade hadn't even finished eating, but Sandshrew grabbed him by the claw and started tugging…Neither had any idea what was waiting in store for them that day!

*An Hour Later*

"Hmm…You don't look so tough," said Blade, smirking as he eyed the Growlithe before him. "You just look like… A pup." He folded his arms and sneered.

This annoyed Growlithe. The orange and black puppy Pokémon growled, bearing his fangs at Blade, his hackles raised. "You watch your tongue Sneasel."

"Ha… and what if I don't want to." Blade smirked again.

"I'll burn you to cinders and rip apart your miserable body, that's what."

"You talk big…But I bet your bark is worse than your bite." Blade enjoyed taunting the pokemon. Even with the type advantage, Blade could see the Growlithe wasn't a threat.

"You tell him Bladey." At that moment Blade felt a pair of paws grip his shoulders and…starting to rub them.

"Ugh…I thought we'd had the conversation about touching." It wasn't uncomfortable, but given what the last guy who was behind him did, he wasn't too keen to have someone at his back again.

"Sorry. Teehee." Sandshrew blushed and took a few steps backwards.

Blade sighed and turned his attention back to Growlithe. "Look pal. I'm a reasonable mon. Shrew here has told me that you've been giving some of the grass types a hard time. Now I don't know if that's true, but here's the deal. If that stops here today then I won't have to hurt you. But if you want to keep playing mister tough guy, then I'm going to beat your ass down, freeze you into an ice cube and set you a float in the lake…Understood? Puppy!"

Growlithe's eyes narrowed. "Nobody call's me puppy. NOBODY!"

The comment had exactly the impact Blade had been hoping for. Growlithe charged at him in a fit of rage. Blade was more than ready for this fight.

He heard Sandshrew gasp, "Blade look out," but it wasn't needed. He knew exactly what he was going to do. And it would teach Growlithe a lesson that he would not soon forget…

But Sandshrew hadn't been trying to warn Blade about Growlithe. A long metallic claw had reached down from the walkway above grabbing Blade up into the air. Before the Sneasel even had a chance to react a high powered shock burst through his body knocking him out instantly.