CHP 16

	Seth was the second to awake that morning. What woke him was a kiss from Eve. "How's daddy feeling?" She asked with the sweetest smile he had ever seen. 

	"Morning to you too. Feel better?" 

	"Much. I feel... relieved, like a weight lifted from my shoulders. I only hope our pups will be healthy." She said, a paw rubbing now flat belly. 

	"It'll be fine. Eggs take a long time to hatch, so you don't have to worry about it for a while." He said. Next to him, he felt the others begin to stir.

	Soul leaned over and licked his currently furless cheek. "I wouldn't mind an egg myself, next time I'm in heat."

	"Are we starting a family now?" He said sarcastically

	"I'd love to~" She purred, rubbing her furry body against him.

	Seth stretched his arms to the sky and gave a mighty yawn. He looked over to the clock, finding it to be almost noon. "We need to get up. I wanna see the town before we head out." Shortly later, the room was back in its usual shape, the beds in their original spots, though there was an oddly familiar stain in the sheets. Everything was gathered up and they departed. Sky, Eclipse and Eve all decided to go back in there balls. Eve was still tired, Eclipse didn't care about the sights and Sky didn't give a reason. This left only Seth and Soul to explore the City of Romance. 

	They ventured to the city center, where a perpetual fair type area was located, with many tents and booths set up. Most offered random services or items, but one in particular caught Seth's eyes: a fry anything booth. He stood there for a while, imagining the possibilities, while he idly stroked Soul's head. He was broken out of his stupor by loud and excited shouting. He turned to the source to find a sizable crowd gathered. As he got closer, he heard one name consistently: Star. *No way...* He thought. Getting closer, he caught a few brief glimpses of the subject of interest. At the center of the crowd was a red haired girl, her hairstyle quite odd, the part that draped down her back was styled into the shape of wings. Her outfit was extravagant, covered in buttons, gems, sparkles, and fluff. This was a girl known simply as Star. She was known well, as she was one of the biggest stars on TV and in contests. And here she was, standing only a few yards away from Seth. 

	"Who the hell is she to have so many people fawning over her?" Soul asked, a bit of contempt in her voice. 

	"That, is Star. She's basically the best actor on TV, she has done every role, all perfectly, not to mention being one of the best coordinators in recent history. I have to admit, even I'm impressed by her." 

	"She doesn't seem special to me." Soul said, her hatred for Star growing. 

	Suddenly, they were interrupted by a voice Seth recognized rising above the commotion. "You, you there, c'mere." Star said, looking and pointed right at Seth. He pointed to himself and mouthed 'me?'. "Yes you," she said, "Get over here!" 

	He cautiously approached, parting the crowd with Soul in tow. Upon reaching her, he awkwardly raised a hand. "H-h-hi..."

	"Relax. I don't bite." She said, trying to relax his fears. "I can see potential in you, follow me into the contest hall so we can talk in private."

	"Okay," Seth said, not wholly sure he wasn't dreaming. She led him into the building and away from the horde of shouting people. Once there, she led him to a private dressing room, exclusively for the top coordinator, her. Seth was even more consumed by nervousness. First he was talked to by such a celebrity, now he was bring taken to a private room with her. 

	She motioned for him to go in, following and shutting the door behind her. "So, Seth... How are you?" She asked innocently. 

	"H-how do you know my name?" He said in surprise. 

	"A friend told me about you. You sounded fascinating, so when I saw you, I thought I would introduce myself."

	Soul took a ready stance, charging a night slash in her horn. Seth was equally worried about her sources and intentions, preparing to transform. 

	"No! I'm not here to hurt you." She said, waving her hands in front of her. He relaxed a bit, but Soul remained at the ready. "You see, last time I met my friend, she couldn't stop talking about this amazing person she found named Seth." 

	"But still... how did you know who I was? Especially in a crowd like that."

	"Well I am a psychic type." She said blandly. 

	"Wha-" Seth started, but he was stopped short when she started to sparkle. A bright light flashed and she vanished, replaced by a red and white feathered dragon, floating in the air before him. He recognized it as a latias. "Star?" He asked the creature. 

	"Yep!" She said excitedly. "Mewtwo told me all about you last time we met. She certainly was upset when you ran away from her. You might wanna watch out, she's lookin for you~. So you really can turn into pokemon?" 

	"Yea..." He said, looking back to Soul, who was still watching Star like a hawk. "So you just wanted to meet me? That's it?" 

	"Well of course. It's not every day I meet someone like you. I could get you a contest pass, if you want..." 

	"No thanks. Not my cup of tea. To think, all this time, you've been a pokemon."

	"Well, I am technically a trainer, I do have pokemon of my own. I might as well be human." 

	"I have to say, I never imagined I would meet someone like you..."

	"I could say the same. I've never met a hybrid before." 

	They sat there for a moment, silent, including Soul. "I have to ask though. Do you want me for the same reason as Mewtwo?"

	"Oh- um- no!" She suddenly became very flustered. "I'm young for a legendary, I only turned 87 this year, way too young to start a family."

	"87! How old is Mewtwo?"

	"Around 600. Let's see... I'd probably be around 20 in human years, and she would be around her late 30s."

	"Wait, what? How does that work out?" 

	"Most legendaries age quickly into maturity, and then stay the same for awhile, then become old."

	"Alright... well it was nice meeting you. Soul and I are gonna go look around town, anything you would suggest?"

	"Everything in the fair is great, just have a good time!"

	"Thanks," he said as he left the room. The moment the door was open, the crowd began to shout again. Star followed behind him, human once again, and took the attention, allowing him and Soul to escape. Once they were out of the hall, no one even spared a glance at them, allowing them to continue their exploration.  

	Everything was fine and dandy, until Seth spotted something. It was a typhlosion, and a houndoom, both wearing black bandannas with a red spot. "Shit!" he said out loud, trying to duck out of sight. It was too late however. Demon turned his head, looking right at him. They both shared a glance, before both sprung into action. Seth spun and started to book it and Demon gave chase, yelling for Ashes to keep up. As they were running Soul said, "Why don't we fight, send out everyone and wipe the floor with them?" 

	"Not here, it's too crowded." He pointed for a place that looked to be devoid of people. "There, move it!" The building looked to be a storage space, locked with a padlock. Soul reared back and cut it in two, allowing them to duck inside. Seth shoved the large door shut and backed away, dropping his pack to get to the balls inside. The door suddenly was smashed down by an angry houndoom. He was followed by his typhlosion companion. He started to growl at Seth, who couldn't find the other's balls. "Shit!" Seth said, unable to find them. Demon opened his jaws and fired out a blast of fire. Soul leaped into the path, taking the brunt of the powerful attack. 

	Suddenly, two huge red scythes pierced into Demon's back. Through the fountain of blood Seth could see a dragon, covered in spikes with a golden star on its nose. It roared, a sound that was akin to a chainsaw, and ripped a scythe from Demon, sending him to the ground, and swung it at Ashes, slicing cleanly through her throat. Demon weakly looked up at the beast, coughing up some blood. He tried to do something, but his injuries were to severe. Both the remaining members of team Darkfire were dead now, and their killer turned its gaze to Seth and the wounded Soul. He had stopped his search for balls, stunned by what had just happened. 

	"You. Get up and drop the bag. You're coming with me, dead or alive." The mega garchomp growled at him. Seth obeyed, terrified of what it could do to him, or more importantly the girls. Soul struggled to get up. 

	"Don't you dare!" She roared

	"Soul! Stay down!" Seth shouted at her. He was visibly shaking. "It's this or we all die. S-say goodbye to everyone for me..."  A tear ran down his face. 

	"NO!" Soul screamed.

	"Silence!" The garchomp roared again. It spun around, slapping Soul across the room with its tail. It reached out, putting a scythe around Seth's neck. "Walk." It ordered, leading Seth out of the building. 

	It walked him covertly behind the building and kicked him in the knee, causing him to fall to the ground. It slashed open another door and said, "Inside." He obeyed, and went into the dark room, only lit by a small window on the far side. He was kicked again, falling flat onto the concrete floor, where he remained motionless. "Sit still and wait."

	He laid on his stomach, not even trying to roll over. He heard a sound, like someone using a walkie-talkie. "Got him. Location G." Five minutes later, the door opened again. 

	"Well, well, well. The thorn in my side at last. Get up, look me in the eyes." Seth complied, turning over to find a grizzled man with a goatee, accompanied by a lucario wearing an eye patch. The man drew a revolver and put it directly between Seth's eyes. "I am Vincent." He nudged his head to the side. "That's Irons. Now that introductions are out of the way..." He cocked the hammer back. 

	"Wait. Please. Explain to me what is happening!" Seth begged.

	Vincent let out a disturbing laugh. "I should just kill you. But you earned it I guess. I head up a group called Team Purity. We desire to make perfect pokemon, ones that could rule the world in the right hands. First you attack a recruit, then you kidnap an experiment."

	"Experiment... You mean Eve?! She is a living creature you monster!" 

	"Hah! She is a failure! A pokemon that could breed with any other, learn any move, have perfect potential, and breed an army of perfect pokemon. But it failed, the exact opposite happened. It made her infertile instead. I thank you for killing the scientist. I was going to but you saved me the trouble. Any other questions?" He said, pressing the gun into Seth's skin.

	"One last request. Spare the girls. They don't have anything to do with this."

	"I was going to kill them all... but you know, you're right. They would suffer more without their master." Everything went in slow motion for Seth. He could see Vincent's finger begin to squeeze the trigger. His body refused to act. 

	Behind him, the walls ripped off, peeling to the sides. The light flooded in, revealing an almost eight foot tall, humanoid feline. She put a hand to the side, all three of Seth's assailants flying to the wall. She appeared before Seth in a flash of light, before they both vanished. 

	Seth blinked in surprise, finding himself in another place entirely. He looked up to his savior, who was holding him tightly. "Mewtwo?" 

	"Yes. That was too close. You are safe now." The mega mewtwo x said. 

	"But- what- how?"

	"I was in Emone City, and I sensed your distress."

	"Where are we?" He said, still very disorientated. 

	"Stross city, in an empty hotel room. We should be far enough away." She removed him from her grasp. "Are you uninjured?"

	"Yea... Are the girls okay!?" He shouted suddenly. 

	"I shall return." She closed her eyes and vanished again.

+++

	Soul was collapsed on the floor, screaming and crying. Her trance was broken by a flash of light next to her. 

	"Get up, we need to leave." Mewtwo told her.

	"Fuck off!" Soul screamed at her. "He's dead!"

	"No. He is alive. You must come with me."

	"If you are lying, I will kill you!" She shouted, fire in her eyes. 

	"That is acceptable." Mewtwo said, taking hold of Soul and the backpack. In another flash they were back in the hotel room in Stross city. 

	Soul blinked in confusion, her eyes blinded by the flash of light. When they cleared, she saw Seth, sitting on the bed, unharmed. She let out a happy yip, pouncing onto him and rubbing her face furiously against his chest, wetting his shirt with her tears and snot. He wanted to put his arms around her, but she had him totally pinned. "Soul... I'm so sorry." He said quietly.

	"Shut the hell up!" She shouted angrily, batting at his head, not hard enough to really hurt him, but he felt the impact. "Don't ever try anything like that! Ever!" Tears were streaming down her face. 

	"Soul, please stop crying. I can't stand to see you like this." He brought up his now free arm to wipe her face, but she slapped him away.

	"You need to see what could have happened! And this is just me, what about the others, we all care about you!" 

	The guilt was really getting to him now. He had never even considered how they would feel, he only wanted to save their lives.

	"Ahhem." Mewtwo interrupted them. "I did not save you out of the kindness of my heart. Seth, you will give me a strong child. Not yet though." Her eyes shut and she vanished again. 

	Soul remained on top of Seth, quivering on his chest. "Soul, please don't tell the others. I don't want to upset them..."

	"Then you promise me, we live and die together. We work as one." Soul shot back.

	"I swear. I need to tell Eve something..." He released all the girls, who were all confused. "We are in Stross city. There was a cab going here so we took it." He put a hand on Eve's shoulder. She looked back at him questioningly. 

	"What is it?" She asked.

	"Listen. I found out you... can't have babies."

	"What?! But... I..."

	"I know. The experiments they did on you backfired. You are infertile." Eve flung herself forward into his grasp. She began to heave, tearing up. Seth rubbed her head, trying to comfort the heartbroken lucario. He held her tight for a few minutes, allowing her to grieve. 

	"I felt so... complete. Like everything was going right." She whimpered. Seth walked with her to the bed, toppling onto it with her still in his arms. Soul climbed in behind him, wrapping her paws around him from behind. Sky followed and Eclipse shut the curtains before joining the pile. 

	Seth's eyes drifted shut, exhausted from the rush of adrenaline. Before he fell asleep though, he had a chance to think about what had almost happened. It wasn't his close call with death that had him disturbed. It was what he had almost done to the girls. What Vincent said was true, that leaving them like that would be worse than death. Tears began to run down his face as he imagined how close that outcome had been. Soon, he fell asleep and had a thankfully dreamless nap.