A sad man's story
Mew is resting in a tree out in the middle of the woods. Just before she settles down for the night, she meets a human who has a sad plan for himself.
This is how I vent my sorrow.
Mew rested peacefully on the branch she decided to sleep on this night. Her pink body lay leaning peacefully against the wood as her tail gently swayed to and for. A light snap of a branch dragged the drowsy Legendary's attention to the ground below her. With a silent sigh, she tilted her pink head down to the forest floor, where a human male with blond hair and hazel eyes stood watching her. Mew felt herself go rigid in shock and fear as the man looked onward towards the full moon and began to speak softly.
"Oh, I am envious of you.
I have yet to know a pain and rage I could not see myself enduring. I've been enslaved, abandoned, lost and alone. I have at long last come to the conclusion I shall only know the loneliness I have already been granted in life.
What I would give to know the calm peace you own. Free to rest peacefully upon this lovely, lonely night."
The man walked forward, leaving Mew to ponder on what he spoke of. She watched him as he slowly left the cover of her tree. He was fairly tall compared to most human trainers, and he was as slim as some of the female trainers she'd come across. Slowly, Mew drifted from her resting place as he resumed speaking.
"My life is simply lies and hurt. Those I thought I could trust have stabbed me repeatedly, those who can only lie are more trustworthy.
I am nothing but an enigma who watches from the shadows of the world. Only to know pain as I look longingly upon those with joyful hearts. I can no more walk in the light than a shadow can lead it's body. My only friend is the darkness that hides the terrors that can cause pain and the thoughts that pain me."
As he walked into a small clearing, Mew was able to see his body more clearly with the light of the moon. His torso and feet were bare, revealing the pale, scarred and bruised back to the Mew's now concerned eyes. His legs were covered in old and tattered black pants that seem to hang on his hips. He stopped when he was in about the middle of the clearing and looked up to the moon, his short hair seeming to glow.
"Now, my mind begins to fall to the dark reassess I find solace in!" He chuckled as his voice got louder, "Fear, pain, hurt, misery, betrayal, vengeance, jealousy?! Ideals and emotions that I am well versed in but cannot inflict." The man began to laugh hysterically as he fell to his knees and drop his head.
Mew floated closer to the edge of the clearing and soon heard the sound of sobbing. As she tentatively reached out with her mind to learn his intentions, she slowly entered the clearing.
"Look at me, a blubbering fool who wishes he could be loved." The man moved one of his arms around to his front, causing Mew to slow her advance, "Oh why did I exist in the first? All I am is sad and pathetic." The man looked back up to the heavens.
Finally, the pink Legendary touched his mind, and gasped at the chaotic clash of conflicting thoughts and mixed emotions she felt. The man suddenly rose to his feet and spun to face her. Mew found herself staring at the human's bare chest as all the thoughts and emotions she read from him vanished and replaced with what he was perceiving. Her eyes trailed up to his tear stained face and bloodshot eyes. He blinked and lowered his head slightly.
"Evening, sorry if I woke you." He said apologetically. Mew blinked and shook her head.
_ "It is alright, I wasn't asleep yet to be honest." _ She told him mentally, then looked him over. His eyes and youthful face held clear evidence that he had been crying for some time. The man's neck and shoulders had several nicks and bruises which continued down to his slightly hairy chest. Her gaze lowered over his faint abs and hairier belly when her eyes locked on to the dimly shining handle of a gun that suck out of the front of his black pants. _ "What are you doing out here?" _
"I suspect that you already know." He sighed as he moved his hand to the handle of the gun. "But, just so I can hear it, I am going to kill myself tonight." He looked down at the gun as he pulled it free from its place.
_ "Surely things can't be that bad for you?" _ Mew said quickly and rushed to the man's side. He looked up to her as she wrapped her tail around his wrist.
"Miss Mew, you do not know who I am, what I do, or have done." He gently rested his other hand on the pink tail. "Nor where I am from, what troubles me, or anything about me."
"Then let me know." The Legendary said angrily, hurt that one could be so sad that they wish to end their life. _ *"I will not believe that killing yourself is-" * _
"Is what?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he sneered, "Is a valid answer? The only one I have left?!" He backed up and ripped his hands from Mew's body, causing her to dart back in surprise. "I... I'm sorry..." He shivered and looked down as his arms hung limp at his side.
Mew tilted her head at the odd man, and felt his mind slowly open up as he recalled his memories. He slowly got to his knees and laid the gun besides him as he hugged himself and let her watch his memories. He stayed still as she slowly watched his life play through her own eyes and senses.
She watched as his father raised his hand, and felt it come smashing into his head as a fist. She saw his mother shove him into the street as she saw a wealth looking man walking ahead of them. She heard the laughter of the children who threw rocks attacked this man. Felt the stings and pain as he was beaten by her children in their boredom. Witnessed the people buy him like he was but a thing. She felt him shake the hand of a wealthy man who took him in, then saw the horror of the mine he was tricked into working in. All around her the world shook as the rocks came down and smashed his co-workers as they ran from the collapsing cave. She whimpered when the man he worked for threw him onto the floor. She watched as he signed the contract with blood on his fingers and was given a rifle, then plunged into hell.
"You are not even out of my teenage years yet." She blinked as she came back to reality. He remained in the kneeling position he entered when she started while she had slowly descended and now sat on the soft grass. The Legendary swallowed and returned to looking through his memories.
All around him all he could see blood. His, his allies, his enemies, even innocents who got caught in the war. For some time all his memories and nightmares consisted of this fighting, then he was abandoned. She felt his anger as everything the contract promised him was denied and shot down. Following him onward, she felt the pains he suffered as kids once again threw rocks at him, of other adults smacking him and shoving him to the ground.
She felt the fire's heat. She heard the child's screams. She watched as he ran down the burning door that separated him and the trapped girl. He risked his life to save a childs, and allowed both to live. He handed her to the Officer who meet him, then he left. Mew felt his sorrow when the newspaper said the Officer risked his life to save her. The Legendary watched as the weeks slowly drifted on to months, watching and feeling his sensations as he continued to exist and fade into the background. Each day got harder and harder, as he consistently try to do right but received nothing but pain and hurt.
Then, she felt him finally break. He walked through the graveyard he slept in, reading the many text on the tomb stones when he stopped at one. Upon the smooth granite surface where two names, followed by the words; 'Love knows no limit, no barrier, no hindrance. Love will never weaken to where it no longer exist. It is all we need to be happy, and all the two of us had. Do what you heart says is right, and you will never be disappointed.'
Mew felt him cry, both in the memory and in the present as she watched. Slowly the scene changed again, this time the man was in a dark room, the gun he currently had resting in his hands when she heard a THE voice.
==Flashback==
I looked down at the large revolver I stole from the pawn shop. I had only one bullet, but that was all I would need.
"Do you want to do that though?" I heard someone speak. I looked up from little corner of the room. Faintly visible in a dark corner a shadowy figure stood.
"What the hell are you talking about? And if you's gonna sleep here as well, you had best brought your own bedding." I said annoyed. The figure chuckled at me.
"Oh no no." I saw its head shake. "I am here to give you an offer." I cocked an eyebrow.
"Eh?"
"What if I told you, I can give you a new life?" It slowly got closer, but it seemed as though the dark moved with it. "What if, I can give you a new chance to see what being on the path of light is like?"
"..." I looked down at the gun for a few minutes, then back to the figure. "Who are you? And how could you possibly do this?" The figure sighed loud and sadly.
"I answer to the name Phantom. And I can do so because it is in my power." The figure, Phantom, said with a minor air of importance.
"Phantom? Odd name, but what do you want in return? And don't say you're doing this out of the good of your heart." I said angrily, Phantom chuckled again.
"Straight to the point huh? Very well," The figure stepped out of the darkness, revealing a human shape that looked as though it was made of shadows and darkness itself, "I need someone willing to do whatever I need as I cannot interact with this world." I quickly got to my feet and braced myself against the wall.
"What the Distorted World are you?" I asked it. It raised its hands and looked down at them.
"I... I am a distant soul. A person who doesn't truly belong in this world, but is long since lost since my own's end." The figure shivered and clenched its fist. Without thinking, I walked up to it and hugged the strange being.
"I don't quite understand, but sounds like you've been through worse than I have." I told it, causing it to chuckle in response.
"You haven't the slightest idea..." Phantom said before it passed through my arms and back into the darkness, "Now, about my offer?"
"... What would you have me do?" I asked it.
"Whatever I demand or order you to do. As well as turn your life over to me until the end of time." Phantom's body seem to shift and shimmer as it responded.
"So you want a slave?" I frowned and backed up slightly.
"In a way, yes." It waved an arm dismissively, "But you would be given just about whatever you wanted or needed, except your freedom of course." I frowned and looked at the gun I still had in my hands.
"... Love?" I asked it, but it only remained silent. With a sad sigh I shook my head, "No, no thank you." I looked up, but to my surprise, Phantom was gone, like it was never there.
==Presently==
"I don't know what that was, but I remember that night like it was yesterday." He chuckled, Mew remained silent. She pressed on, now truly scared of what she might find as he had turned down the Phantom.
The months turned to years, and still he received nothing to give him hope. She watched as everything he did, every day he struggled through, he held onto the one thing he wanted to receive. He would work anywhere he could, do anything he could, but was always only receive pain and heartache. A few days in the soup kitchens, he was beaten with various kitchen utensils for his kindness. Moving lumber for construction, the workers laughed and beat him. Risking his well being to save a woman from being raped, he was arrested and no one defend him. Finally, after his long struggle, he had given up.
She watched as the man removed his shirt and handed it to a homeless child huddling by a small burning crate as he walked out of the city. He occasionally touched the revolver that sat at the front of his pants, absentmindedly feeling it's oddly comforting handle. As he walked through the woods he caught sight of a small pink object hanging from a tree. Curious, he walked over, and was surprised to see the pink Legendary pokemon, Mew itself sleeping along the branch.
Mew felt herself begin to cry for this man. So entranced by his hardships, she never noticed he had reached out and took her small form in his arms. She clung to his chest as the memories of his trials still swam about her mind.
"Shh shh." He whispered as she cried.She looked up into the human's bloodshot brown eyes as a soft smile appeared on his lips. He gently stroked her head as she slowly calmed down.
_ "You're still capable of helping so many..." _ She tried to reason with him, sensing he loved to do so. He sighed and his smile fell from his face.
"But I no longer have the strength to bear what happens after." He slowly released the pink Legendary. "For thirty seven years, I have done very little to deserve what I've received. I am tired of being treated like I am not a living being, just something for others benefit."
_ "Tired of not being loved, of not having someone you can love." _ Mew lowered her felinoid head. _ "Please, don't do it..." _
"..." He sighed and looked down at the gun that lay on the grass. "Not now then. Not this night..." Mew looked up at the man, her eyes wide. He looked down at the gun for a moment longer, then returned his gaze to the saddened legendary. "I may want to end my suffering, but I can't let someone else suffer." His soft smile returned, "Call it my achilles heel if you will." he chuckled, causing Mew to smile at his weak joke. As he slowly got back to his feet, Mew drifted upwards with him.
_ "What are you going to do tonight then?" _ She asked the human she now pitied. He shrugged and return the gun to the front of his pants.
"Probably find someplace to sleep for the night." He said before yawning. Mew blinked and looked around for a quick moment.
_ "That tree there." _ Mew flicked her tail just past the man, _ "The canopy is large enough to cover the both of us." _
"Both of us?" He glanced over his shoulder at the indicated tree.
"Surely you will not deny me using you for a bed since you rouse me from my sleep?" She asked playfully as she floated by him, grabbing his arm along the way. _ "Plus, its too chilly out here for one man without a shirt or shoes." She giggled and lead him along as he grumbled quietly. _
"If... if you insist." He sighed in defeat. "Hang on, you said you weren't asleep."
_ "Thats besides the point," _ She giggled again, _ "You've already agreed and I know you don't go back on your word." _ He grumbled again as Mew pushed him towards the tree. However, he proceeded to sit and lean back against its trunk before opening his arms for her.
"So, more comfortable than the branches or ground eh?" He asked as she nestled herself on his chest. The Legendary giggled again as he slowly put his arms around her small body.
_ "Yep! Almost as nice as my mate's body." _ She froze up as soon as she said that, the human stiffened slightly. "I-"
"Its alright," she tilted her head to look at his face, a small smile and a single tear was all she could see, "I'm sure you're loved one is lucky to have you. Now please, let us sleep." The human yawned and she felt his body relax.
"Good idea Mr..." Mew found herself drawing a blank on his name, which he noticed and chuckled at. _ "I'm sorry, but I don't think I ever heard you name mentioned in your own memories." _
"Because I never had an actual one." He said softly, "My parents called me bastard, disappointment, worthless, so on and etcetera. You probably saw that I signed all my contracts with bloodied finger prints as well." He tilted his face down towards her, "You are free to call me whatever you would like." Mew watched him as she felt her sadness for this man grow deeper.
"... Compassion." She said with a small smile and the human cocked an eyebrow at her. _ "Everything you've done, you did so for others without only the desire to be loved. You never hurt someone in missed placed anger, or were unkind to anyone who was to you." _ She sighed and rested her head on his bare chest, "You are the very embodiment of Compassion, so that is what I will call you." The human remained silent for a moment, then she felt small drops of water hit her head.
"I... I..." He hugged her tightly, "Thank you." She looked up to his genuine smile as he cried silently. Mew smiled in return and laid her head on him again as she started to drift off to sleep.
"I hope this man decides to live longer. I also wish I knew how i could help him." She thought as she faded to her friend's, Cresselia's, dreams.