Chapter 6
Living Legends: Volume (Mew)Two: Chapter Six
The smell of something bitter invaded Sin's nostrils, and her eyes blinked open, unfocused and hazy, not quite all there yet, before they clenched closed and the Mewtwo gave a loud cry. Her tailtip thrashed slightly against the deck chair she occupied as a burning, intense pain lanced through her skull. It was like the sunlight was concentrating down into a narrow beam and burning a hole in her head, making her throw an arm up over her eyes to shield herself from the cruel morning rays.
The bitter smell came back, and there was a chuckle. "Sore head?" Peter asked kindly, kneeling down beside her on the deck.
Sin whined faintly and nodded emphatically, opening her right eye to a slit before clenching it closed again, wrinkling her nose. "What is that smell?" she asked, brow furrowing as she inhaled lightly.
"Coffee, helps with hangovers." Peter stated in reply, setting the cup on the chair next to her. "Be careful, it's hot."
The Mewtwo frowned at him uncomprehendingly, her tailtip giving an irritated flick against the deck chair. "Nothing is hanging over me." she said dismissively, brows furrowing hard as he tried to sit up, and then fell back heavily, holding her stomach and retching just slightly.
Peter set the cup of coffee down on the deck, and then helped her sit up, sliding one of her arms over his shoulders and rubbing her back soothingly. "Just breath deeply." he suggested, a laugh in his tone.
"What is so funny?" she asked sullenly, lifting a paw to rub at her head, her eyes clenched closed, trying to breath deeply as he had instructed.
"You." he said matter-of-factly.
"You do not strike me as the kind who delights in the discomfort of others.." she said uncertainly.
Peter laughed faintly. "I don't." he replied kindly, pulling her against his side and resting his chin on her shoulder, raising a brow at her. "But everyone knows exactly what you're going through. Most people experience it as...a kind of initiation ritual."
"...Your culture subjects people to this...sensation willingly?" she asked, huffing angrily. "What causes it?!"
Peter grinned and tapped her nose with his fingertip. "What did you do last night that you haven't done before?"
The Mewtwo's brows furrowed, and then her eyes widened. "But...but it felt so nice! It was the nicest thing I've ever felt!" she said with a slight whine.
"You pay for the nice things you experience...one way or another." he said with a helpless shrug, hugging around her shoulders.
"But...but..." she gave another low, hurt whine, "I want to do it all the time...I want to do it right now!"
He smiled at her faintly. "In moderation, Sin. If you do it a little every now and again, then you won't get a hangover." he said with a knowing smile at her.
She huffed, and then glowered at him. "Well I want more right now." she stated.
"It's socially unacceptable to do that at this hour, so I'm afraid I gotta tell you to wait." he said with a helpless shrug.
Her brows furrowed, and she glowered at him again. "I don't care. I've got a...hangover, and I feel horrible. And I want more now." she said flatly, wrapping her paws around him and pulling him tight to her front.
Peter blinked once, and squirmed slightly, wondering what she was doing before he found himself quite suddenly drawn into a heated kiss with the Mewtwo, her tongue demanding access to his mouth. Eyes widening a little bit, he allowed the kiss while relaxing a little to let her have her way with him, until, after a few long and thoroughly passionate moments, she pulled back with a faint panting of breath.
"...There." she said, huffing and crossing her arms. "I won't have any more today at all, then I won't get a hangover." she said sullenly.
Peter paused a moment, looking around to make sure no one had seen the Mewtwo's impromptu display of intimate affection, and then gave a loud laugh.
Sin stared at him, confused and helpless. "...What?" she asked.
Peter quietened down and stroked up and down her back lightly with his fingertips. "You." he said again, smiling, pulling her into another kiss, which made her squirm and try to pull away.
"I'll feel horrible again!" she breathed, whining at him, before relaxing helplessly into the kiss, purring faintly, low in her throat.
"No you won't." Peter corrected as he pulled back, smiling at her faintly.
"But you said-" she started.
Peter laid a finger on her lips, shushing her. "I thought you meant drinking." he said with a firm nod.
"But you said that you pay for the nice things you experience!" she retorted.
He smiled and gave her nose a gentle kiss. "This is one of the very few things that doesn't leave a horrible effect on you...unless it goes awry and you break up with someone. I doubt you'll have that problem though." he said before she could comment on what he had told her.
Brows furrowing, she looked him up and down, eyes narrowing a little bit, her tailtip giving an excited little quiver. "You mean to say...that we can keep doing this without any problems!?" she asked eagerly.
Peter gave a nod and a laugh, kissing her nose once more. "Yes Sin, without any problems." he confirmed.
"But drinking...drinking is bad." she puzzled out.
He nodded once. "Yeah, drinking lots gives you hangovers and makes you feel horrible." he said.
Sin paused a moment, and then gave a faint shrug. "I can live without it." she stated, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into another kiss, purring against his mouth.
"Though...we should keep this kind of thing in private." he stated after she pulled back from the kiss.
The Mewtwo's head tilted to one side, "Is it a private thing?" she asked.
"It's...mostly private yes...but between a Pokémon and a human?" he made a face, shrugging helplessly. "Some people look down on it...heavily."
Her brows furrowed. "It doesn't seem fair." She said, and then huffed, before her expression lifted. "At least we won't want for things to do when we're in the room!" she said with a giggle and a grin at him, purring and leaning forwards to kiss him once more.
Peter shook his head, slightly exasperated, but didn't stop her, smiling into the kiss while stroking down from her back to the base of her thick tail, massaging her flesh soothingly.
"Peter...?" she asked, as she pulled back, raising a brow at him.
"Mhmm?" he asked.
Sin rubbed her nose against his cheek gently, "...Do you love me yet?"
Peter laughed once and kissed her cheek. "Not yet, Sin...but I don't think it'll be long."
* * *
It was a few hours later that the two were awoken by a loud clearing of the throat from one of the crew members.
Peter grunted faintly, lifting his head a little bit, blinking blearily at the crewman, who was wearing a positively ridiculous red hat with a white bob on the end. "Sir, you are invited to the Christmas party in the dining hall, this is a message going to all guests, though you are welcome to stay here if you wish." he said with a polite nod and incline of his body in a bow.
Peter grunted faintly in acknowledgment, peering outside, to the ocean and small islands in the distance. It had to be after ten already, judging by the sun in the sky, but the awning over the deck had kept the light the morning sun from waking them up.
Sin stirred next to him, eyes blinking open slowly, looking around for a moment before fixing on him as the crewman walked away. Even as they lay there, more crewmen were beginning to decorate the deck. "What's happening?" she asked curiously, lifting herself up a little bit to watch one of the crew string red tinsel along the deck, on the railings, while a second interspersed it with gold tinsel. "It's shiny...I like it." she said with a nod, motioning with her nose towards the tinsel.
"It's Christmas." Peter replied, turning to peer at her. The Mewtwo's eyes met his own, and she tilted her head slightly to one side, shifting her weight, resting her head on her hands, tailtip coiling around one of her own ankles.
"Christmas?" she asked curiously.
Peter nodded. "It's a...holiday, a celebration. It's the time of year when everyone well...has the day off, and such..." he tried to explain awkwardly.
"I...don't understand...why do we celebrate?" she asked, peering at him.
Peter wrinkled his nose a little bit, trying to ponder on how to explain it, and then just gave up. "This is one of those times when it would be easier for you to just take the information out of my mind." he said, peering at her and trying to think back to all of the christmas times he had spent with his parents, unwrapping presents and eating food with his family, sharing bonbons with his father, general laughing and happiness.
Now that it wasn't always present, he was suddenly aware of this faint...buzzing in the back of his ears, like a humming, or the sound of a mosquito buzzing near his ear.
There was a few moments delay, and then Sin nodded at him. "Okay...I think I understand...you venerate the day because this was when someone really important was born..." she puzzled.
Peter nodded, and then wiggled his and back and forth in a 'sort of' motion. "It's not really like that any more...it's more a tradition for most people than any real meaningful thing like that. The values are still carried on though."
The Mewtwo nodded for a moment, and then gave a low whine. "I can't get you a present!" she stated, sounding slightly hurt. "And I can't get presents for everyone else! There's so many and I don't even know ho-"
Peter shushed her with a finger on her lips, smiling and sliding in closer to bump his nose against hers soothingly. "Don't worry about it. You're only supposed to give presents to the people you really care about. Friends, family."
Sin peered at him for a long moment, her brows furrowing. "...I have no family..." she stated forlornly. "No Mother or Father to give me presents, and no friends." she said, shaking her head helplessly.
Frowning slightly, he raised a brow at her. "I thought I was your friend." he said, frowning slightly.
She shook her head in reply, brows furrowing. "You're not my friend....and you're not family...You're...something else. Something closer." she said, shaking her head again and wrapping her paws around him, pulling him against her chest with a surprisingly strong grip.
Peter laughed faintly and stroked her back soothingly with a hand. "You don't have to worry about family." he said with a shake of his head. "Or presents. Christmas is meant to be enjoyed, that's what the meaning of it is. If you feel bad about not being able to give presents...you'll just have to make up for it in another way." he soothed, rubbing his fingertips into her back gently.
Sin nodded after a moment, brows furrowing again, face falling a little bit. "I still feel...bad." she stated, wrinkling her nose slightly. "Like...Like I failed at something." she shook her head after a moment, and then sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Can we get something to eat? I'm hungry."
Nodding, Peter sat up as well, stretching a little bit, and then motioning towards the dining room of the ship with a hand. "Well, they're setting up a Christmas party in there, and on Christmas Eve, they usually serve up a feast." he said with a smile.
Her brows raised at her, and she nodded eagerly, sliding off the deck chair. "Can we please? I'm so hungry." she said slightly forlornly. Peter nodded and smiled a little bit.
"Well, let's go then."
The dining hall was being set up for a Christmas party, a large tree being erected in the centre of the room, with a smaller one off to the side for the younger passengers, rows of presents being laid underneath, of all shapes and sizes, individually tagged with the names of the guests aboard the cruise liner, and given the cost of the ticket, it was no surprise to Peter. It was a Christmas cruise, after all.
There was a bit of a commotion with the smaller tree though, as it wouldn't stand upright properly. It rested on three sturdy plastic legs, but it seemed that the base had snapped, and every effort to keep it upright was failing.
Sin frowned a little bit at it, watching a group of kids who were trying clumsily to help, pushing at the fake plastic tines to try and hold it upright, while one little girl at the back had her balled fists at her eyes, crying. Automatically, the Mewtwo moved over towards the child, leaning down as she got closer to be more on the little girls level, tailtip giving an uncertain swirl. "...why do you hurt?" Sin asked, looking slightly distraught herself. "...It's only a tree."
"But we need the tree!" the little girl cried in a high-pitched voice, fists moving away from her eyes for a moment to reveal the red, puffy flesh. "Ever since Daddy went away we've always had a tree! We need the tree or we can't have Christmas and presents!"
Frowning deeply at the child's words, the Mewtwo looked over at the tree, and then back at the child. "...For how long?" she queried gently.
"I don't know..." the little girl said helplessly. "But we always get the presents from under the tree and it needs to have lights and tinsel and little balls on it, and be brightly lit!" she stated with a nod, snuffling faintly.
Sin nodded, and then awkwardly stepped over to the tree, while the two men trying to erect it just sighed and shook their heads. The bolt holding the main stem in place was snapped, and it wasn't going to stand up any other way. It was broken beyond repair. Sin just stood there, waiting for one of them to notice her, and after a minute or so, one did, raising a brow at her Pokemon, "Hiya." he stated, not expecting a response, "Shouldn't you be with your master?"
"...I want to help." Sin replied awkwardly, motioning towards the tree.
"Well, unless you're capable of welding and carry one around with you, I'm afraid it's broken beyond repair." the crewman said with a helpless shrug of his shoulder.
"How long will it take to decorate it with lights, and tinsel, and little...balls?" she asked by way of reply.
Shrugging helplessly against the crewman waved a hand in a circular motion. "...Maybe a half hour? What, you can fix it?" he asked.
Sin shook her head once, but then held up a paw. "No...but I can help." she said with a nod, and a few moments later, her eyes began to glow with a weird purple aura, the tree lifting from its fallen position and settling neatly down onto its base, standing steady and strong.
The crewman blinked, and then, curiously, waved a hand in front of the Mewtwo's nose. Her eyes remained fixed, and her gaze didn't even waver, concentrating on keeping the tree upright. He motioned for his friend to begin decorating the tree, while the kids watched on. Halfway through the decorating, the little girl, grinning and bouncing slightly, began to hang red and gold tinsel from the Mewtwo's arms and tails, draping it over her neck and what parts of the pokemon's body she could, and then adding a few dangly balls for good effect.
The kids all moved forwards once the decorations were up, and each took the present with their names on them, while Peter moved up behind Sin, laying a hand on her shoulder, having watched the whole thing. The little girl took her present, staring up at the twinkling lights of the tree with starry eyes, before grinning and retreating with her brightly-wrapped box, sitting with it in her lap and watching the tree.
"It's okay now Sin, you can let go, they've all got their presents from underneath." Peter said softly, lightly shaking her with his hand.
Sin blinked once, and the tree dipped imperceptibly, beginning to lean, she caught it before it could drop properly though, slowly lowering it to the ground, turning towards him and looking slightly dazed, shaking her head as if she were momentarily shell-shocked.
"Ugh..." she murmured, and then peered down at herself, draped in tinsel, with balls hands from her arms and tail, and even a bell around her neck. "I look like a christmas tree." she said, and then looked around at all the other people, her brows furrowing deeply. "You...You don't seem happy." she murmured, looking slightly worried now.
Peter pursed his lips for a moment, and then sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry Sin, but they don't have a present for you. They only gave out the presents for the humans..." he explained, trying to break it to her easy.
The Mewtwo looked around at all the people, happy and opening their presents, pulling out toys, and objects of value, and her brows furrowed deeply, a look of hurt creeping into her eyes. "You mean...I don't get a present?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level, though it cracked just a little bit in the middle of her sentence.
He gave a helpless shrug, and then went to hug her, but she pushed him away slightly. "I-It's okay!" she stammered, shaking her head. "I don't mind...I'm a pokemon...We don't get presents at christmas time." she said confidently, though Peter could see the hurt in her eyes, and the sadness in the limp curve of her tail.
Opening his mouth to try and cheer her up, he was interruped by a small voice from behind him. "Mister?" asked a little girl.
His head tilted as he peered down at the little girl who had been watching the Christmas tree, holding her present in her hands, a square box wrapped in red wrapping paper with Stantler print all over it.
"Yes?" he asked, curiously.
"I...I wanna give this to her." she said, motioning towards Sin with her nose.
"I...well...are you sure?" he asked, raising a brow at her, furrowing his brow a little.
The little girl nodded confidently.
Peter waved a hand helplessly towards the Mewtwo.
Sin was watching the other people open their presents, and laugh, and have a good time with eachother, a wistful look in her eye, a silent little tear sliding down one cheek. She blinked a little bit, and turned around as she heard the tentative voice behind her, quickly wiping her eyes and snuffling once, trying to act normal, giving a brave smile down at the little girl. "I-I hope I helped with your tree." she said with a firm nod, dropping to her knees to be on the same level as the little girl.
The little girl didn't reply, she just stepped closer, and then held out the present at full arms length, squeaking a 'For you'.
The Mewtwo blinked once, and then lifted a paw, before snatching it back, holding it to her chest, "But...isn't that...your present?" she asked, furrowing her brows deeply.
A nod was the reply from the little girl. "But I want you to have it." she said in a tiny voice. "You didn't get any presents, and my mommy will have a present for me as well." she said with an earnest nod, bouncing the present up and down a little bit.
Sin paused for a moment, and then reached out tentatively for the box, taking it in a shaking paw, and then peering at the little girl over it. "T-thank you..." she murmured.
"It's kay!" the little girl replied, bouncing on her heels a moment, before wheeling about and running back to her mother, leaving Sin on her knees, holding the present to her chest protectively.
"Gonna open it?" Peter asked of her, and she looked down at it for a long moment, nodding once, tentatively tugging at the bow on the top of it, and then carefully unwrapping it, to reveal a blue box beneath, which she then opened the top of, drawing out a snow globe, with a miniature of the cruise ship inside it, already shaken up slightly from being jostled, with 'snow' cascading around inside.
Her eyes lit up, and she stared at it in wonder, dropping the box by accident and holding the snowglobe against her nose, staring into its depths, her eyes slowly filling with tears. "I-It's so beautiful..." she murmured, her voice cracking a little bit, her tailtip spasming slightly as tears began to run down her muzzle.
"Are...are you okay?" Peter asked after a few moments, peering at her closely.
The Mewtwo shook her head helplessly. "I-I'm not!" she wailed, clutching the snowglobe to her chest protectively, almost wailing. "It's so pretty and the little girl gave it to me and I'm so happy butohgodI'mcryingIthinkI'mbroken!" she wailed incoherently.
Peter couldn't help but shake his head and smile a little bit, taking her paw and leading her to a corner, sitting her down in his lap in a chair at the very edge of the ballroom, hidden by a screen, hugging the tinseled Mewtwo until she stopped crying.
With a faint hiccup, Sin threw her arms around him tightly, kissing him furiously and crushing her body close to his. "I'm so happy..." she murmured brokenly. "I'm so happy I want to cry again and I shouldn't." she huffed, nuzzling her nose against his cheek lovingly as he laughed and hugged her.
"I'm glad you're happy." he stated, nudging his nose against hers again.
"I wish I could give you a present, Peter...but I don't have anything." she said, tentatively holding out the snowglobe.
Peter shook his head firmly and pushed it back. "No, I don't need anything." he said, with a firm shake of his head. "That's yours, you keep it. I don't need anything at all...I have you." he said with a grin.
His statement brought on a fresh burst of tears, and a hug that he thought would break his ribs, and he stroked her back soothingly until she calmed down again.
"You...you didn't get me anything, did you?" She asked critically, her tone denoting that she was really hoping he hadn't.
Peter shifted uncomfortably, and not due to the Mewtwo in his lap. "Well..I sorta did." He said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small, plush box, holding it out for her.
"You shouldn't have..." she whispered, starting to cry again, and he shushed her lightly with a fingertip, hushing her.
"I wanted to." he said, "And it's what Christmas is about."
Sin took the present with a trembling paw, and then opened it carefully, eyes widening as she caught sight of the pendant inside. It was a silver chain, thin and perfect, with a large, flat metal pendant on the end, silver around the edges, with a Moltres emblazoned on it in fire-stone, which sparkled and shimmered in ways that no ordinary gem ever could.
"I...I...It...I..." she tried to say something, to shape a thank you, but just broke into tears again and hugged around him tightly, holding as still as she could while he slid off the Tinsel around her neck, and then did up the chain around her neck.
"Turn it over." he whispered in her ear, kissing her tear-stained cheek gently.
With red eyes, she reached down for the pendant, and turned it over. On the back, scribed into the metal, were the words;
To Sin
With all my Love
From Peter
She stared at the words for a long time, and then peered up at him, snuffling once, her paws twitching a little bit on his shoulders as she tried to steady herself. "P-Peter?" she asked.
"Yes, Sin?" he queried,
"D-do you love me yet?" she asked tentatively.
Peter gave a faint little laugh and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against his chest and laying a kiss on her cheek again, whispering into her ear, "...I do."
The smell of something bitter invaded Sin's nostrils, and her eyes blinked open, unfocused and hazy, not quite all there yet, before they clenched closed and the Mewtwo gave a loud cry. Her tailtip thrashed slightly against the deck chair she occupied as a burning, intense pain lanced through her skull. It was like the sunlight was concentrating down into a narrow beam and burning a hole in her head, making her throw an arm up over her eyes to shield herself from the cruel morning rays.
The bitter smell came back, and there was a chuckle. "Sore head?" Peter asked kindly, kneeling down beside her on the deck.
Sin whined faintly and nodded emphatically, opening her right eye to a slit before clenching it closed again, wrinkling her nose. "What is that smell?" she asked, brow furrowing as she inhaled lightly.
"Coffee, helps with hangovers." Peter stated in reply, setting the cup on the chair next to her. "Be careful, it's hot."
The Mewtwo frowned at him uncomprehendingly, her tailtip giving an irritated flick against the deck chair. "Nothing is hanging over me." she said dismissively, brows furrowing hard as he tried to sit up, and then fell back heavily, holding her stomach and retching just slightly.
Peter set the cup of coffee down on the deck, and then helped her sit up, sliding one of her arms over his shoulders and rubbing her back soothingly. "Just breath deeply." he suggested, a laugh in his tone.
"What is so funny?" she asked sullenly, lifting a paw to rub at her head, her eyes clenched closed, trying to breath deeply as he had instructed.
"You." he said matter-of-factly.
"You do not strike me as the kind who delights in the discomfort of others.." she said uncertainly.
Peter laughed faintly. "I don't." he replied kindly, pulling her against his side and resting his chin on her shoulder, raising a brow at her. "But everyone knows exactly what you're going through. Most people experience it as...a kind of initiation ritual."
"...Your culture subjects people to this...sensation willingly?" she asked, huffing angrily. "What causes it?!"
Peter grinned and tapped her nose with his fingertip. "What did you do last night that you haven't done before?"
The Mewtwo's brows furrowed, and then her eyes widened. "But...but it felt so nice! It was the nicest thing I've ever felt!" she said with a slight whine.
"You pay for the nice things you experience...one way or another." he said with a helpless shrug, hugging around her shoulders.
"But...but..." she gave another low, hurt whine, "I want to do it all the time...I want to do it right now!"
He smiled at her faintly. "In moderation, Sin. If you do it a little every now and again, then you won't get a hangover." he said with a knowing smile at her.
She huffed, and then glowered at him. "Well I want more right now." she stated.
"It's socially unacceptable to do that at this hour, so I'm afraid I gotta tell you to wait." he said with a helpless shrug.
Her brows furrowed, and she glowered at him again. "I don't care. I've got a...hangover, and I feel horrible. And I want more now." she said flatly, wrapping her paws around him and pulling him tight to her front.
Peter blinked once, and squirmed slightly, wondering what she was doing before he found himself quite suddenly drawn into a heated kiss with the Mewtwo, her tongue demanding access to his mouth. Eyes widening a little bit, he allowed the kiss while relaxing a little to let her have her way with him, until, after a few long and thoroughly passionate moments, she pulled back with a faint panting of breath.
"...There." she said, huffing and crossing her arms. "I won't have any more today at all, then I won't get a hangover." she said sullenly.
Peter paused a moment, looking around to make sure no one had seen the Mewtwo's impromptu display of intimate affection, and then gave a loud laugh.
Sin stared at him, confused and helpless. "...What?" she asked.
Peter quietened down and stroked up and down her back lightly with his fingertips. "You." he said again, smiling, pulling her into another kiss, which made her squirm and try to pull away.
"I'll feel horrible again!" she breathed, whining at him, before relaxing helplessly into the kiss, purring faintly, low in her throat.
"No you won't." Peter corrected as he pulled back, smiling at her faintly.
"But you said-" she started.
Peter laid a finger on her lips, shushing her. "I thought you meant drinking." he said with a firm nod.
"But you said that you pay for the nice things you experience!" she retorted.
He smiled and gave her nose a gentle kiss. "This is one of the very few things that doesn't leave a horrible effect on you...unless it goes awry and you break up with someone. I doubt you'll have that problem though." he said before she could comment on what he had told her.
Brows furrowing, she looked him up and down, eyes narrowing a little bit, her tailtip giving an excited little quiver. "You mean to say...that we can keep doing this without any problems!?" she asked eagerly.
Peter gave a nod and a laugh, kissing her nose once more. "Yes Sin, without any problems." he confirmed.
"But drinking...drinking is bad." she puzzled out.
He nodded once. "Yeah, drinking lots gives you hangovers and makes you feel horrible." he said.
Sin paused a moment, and then gave a faint shrug. "I can live without it." she stated, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into another kiss, purring against his mouth.
"Though...we should keep this kind of thing in private." he stated after she pulled back from the kiss.
The Mewtwo's head tilted to one side, "Is it a private thing?" she asked.
"It's...mostly private yes...but between a Pokémon and a human?" he made a face, shrugging helplessly. "Some people look down on it...heavily."
Her brows furrowed. "It doesn't seem fair." She said, and then huffed, before her expression lifted. "At least we won't want for things to do when we're in the room!" she said with a giggle and a grin at him, purring and leaning forwards to kiss him once more.
Peter shook his head, slightly exasperated, but didn't stop her, smiling into the kiss while stroking down from her back to the base of her thick tail, massaging her flesh soothingly.
"Peter...?" she asked, as she pulled back, raising a brow at him.
"Mhmm?" he asked.
Sin rubbed her nose against his cheek gently, "...Do you love me yet?"
Peter laughed once and kissed her cheek. "Not yet, Sin...but I don't think it'll be long."
* * *
It was a few hours later that the two were awoken by a loud clearing of the throat from one of the crew members.
Peter grunted faintly, lifting his head a little bit, blinking blearily at the crewman, who was wearing a positively ridiculous red hat with a white bob on the end. "Sir, you are invited to the Christmas party in the dining hall, this is a message going to all guests, though you are welcome to stay here if you wish." he said with a polite nod and incline of his body in a bow.
Peter grunted faintly in acknowledgment, peering outside, to the ocean and small islands in the distance. It had to be after ten already, judging by the sun in the sky, but the awning over the deck had kept the light the morning sun from waking them up.
Sin stirred next to him, eyes blinking open slowly, looking around for a moment before fixing on him as the crewman walked away. Even as they lay there, more crewmen were beginning to decorate the deck. "What's happening?" she asked curiously, lifting herself up a little bit to watch one of the crew string red tinsel along the deck, on the railings, while a second interspersed it with gold tinsel. "It's shiny...I like it." she said with a nod, motioning with her nose towards the tinsel.
"It's Christmas." Peter replied, turning to peer at her. The Mewtwo's eyes met his own, and she tilted her head slightly to one side, shifting her weight, resting her head on her hands, tailtip coiling around one of her own ankles.
"Christmas?" she asked curiously.
Peter nodded. "It's a...holiday, a celebration. It's the time of year when everyone well...has the day off, and such..." he tried to explain awkwardly.
"I...don't understand...why do we celebrate?" she asked, peering at him.
Peter wrinkled his nose a little bit, trying to ponder on how to explain it, and then just gave up. "This is one of those times when it would be easier for you to just take the information out of my mind." he said, peering at her and trying to think back to all of the christmas times he had spent with his parents, unwrapping presents and eating food with his family, sharing bonbons with his father, general laughing and happiness.
Now that it wasn't always present, he was suddenly aware of this faint...buzzing in the back of his ears, like a humming, or the sound of a mosquito buzzing near his ear.
There was a few moments delay, and then Sin nodded at him. "Okay...I think I understand...you venerate the day because this was when someone really important was born..." she puzzled.
Peter nodded, and then wiggled his and back and forth in a 'sort of' motion. "It's not really like that any more...it's more a tradition for most people than any real meaningful thing like that. The values are still carried on though."
The Mewtwo nodded for a moment, and then gave a low whine. "I can't get you a present!" she stated, sounding slightly hurt. "And I can't get presents for everyone else! There's so many and I don't even know ho-"
Peter shushed her with a finger on her lips, smiling and sliding in closer to bump his nose against hers soothingly. "Don't worry about it. You're only supposed to give presents to the people you really care about. Friends, family."
Sin peered at him for a long moment, her brows furrowing. "...I have no family..." she stated forlornly. "No Mother or Father to give me presents, and no friends." she said, shaking her head helplessly.
Frowning slightly, he raised a brow at her. "I thought I was your friend." he said, frowning slightly.
She shook her head in reply, brows furrowing. "You're not my friend....and you're not family...You're...something else. Something closer." she said, shaking her head again and wrapping her paws around him, pulling him against her chest with a surprisingly strong grip.
Peter laughed faintly and stroked her back soothingly with a hand. "You don't have to worry about family." he said with a shake of his head. "Or presents. Christmas is meant to be enjoyed, that's what the meaning of it is. If you feel bad about not being able to give presents...you'll just have to make up for it in another way." he soothed, rubbing his fingertips into her back gently.
Sin nodded after a moment, brows furrowing again, face falling a little bit. "I still feel...bad." she stated, wrinkling her nose slightly. "Like...Like I failed at something." she shook her head after a moment, and then sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Can we get something to eat? I'm hungry."
Nodding, Peter sat up as well, stretching a little bit, and then motioning towards the dining room of the ship with a hand. "Well, they're setting up a Christmas party in there, and on Christmas Eve, they usually serve up a feast." he said with a smile.
Her brows raised at her, and she nodded eagerly, sliding off the deck chair. "Can we please? I'm so hungry." she said slightly forlornly. Peter nodded and smiled a little bit.
"Well, let's go then."
The dining hall was being set up for a Christmas party, a large tree being erected in the centre of the room, with a smaller one off to the side for the younger passengers, rows of presents being laid underneath, of all shapes and sizes, individually tagged with the names of the guests aboard the cruise liner, and given the cost of the ticket, it was no surprise to Peter. It was a Christmas cruise, after all.
There was a bit of a commotion with the smaller tree though, as it wouldn't stand upright properly. It rested on three sturdy plastic legs, but it seemed that the base had snapped, and every effort to keep it upright was failing.
Sin frowned a little bit at it, watching a group of kids who were trying clumsily to help, pushing at the fake plastic tines to try and hold it upright, while one little girl at the back had her balled fists at her eyes, crying. Automatically, the Mewtwo moved over towards the child, leaning down as she got closer to be more on the little girls level, tailtip giving an uncertain swirl. "...why do you hurt?" Sin asked, looking slightly distraught herself. "...It's only a tree."
"But we need the tree!" the little girl cried in a high-pitched voice, fists moving away from her eyes for a moment to reveal the red, puffy flesh. "Ever since Daddy went away we've always had a tree! We need the tree or we can't have Christmas and presents!"
Frowning deeply at the child's words, the Mewtwo looked over at the tree, and then back at the child. "...For how long?" she queried gently.
"I don't know..." the little girl said helplessly. "But we always get the presents from under the tree and it needs to have lights and tinsel and little balls on it, and be brightly lit!" she stated with a nod, snuffling faintly.
Sin nodded, and then awkwardly stepped over to the tree, while the two men trying to erect it just sighed and shook their heads. The bolt holding the main stem in place was snapped, and it wasn't going to stand up any other way. It was broken beyond repair. Sin just stood there, waiting for one of them to notice her, and after a minute or so, one did, raising a brow at her Pokemon, "Hiya." he stated, not expecting a response, "Shouldn't you be with your master?"
"...I want to help." Sin replied awkwardly, motioning towards the tree.
"Well, unless you're capable of welding and carry one around with you, I'm afraid it's broken beyond repair." the crewman said with a helpless shrug of his shoulder.
"How long will it take to decorate it with lights, and tinsel, and little...balls?" she asked by way of reply.
Shrugging helplessly against the crewman waved a hand in a circular motion. "...Maybe a half hour? What, you can fix it?" he asked.
Sin shook her head once, but then held up a paw. "No...but I can help." she said with a nod, and a few moments later, her eyes began to glow with a weird purple aura, the tree lifting from its fallen position and settling neatly down onto its base, standing steady and strong.
The crewman blinked, and then, curiously, waved a hand in front of the Mewtwo's nose. Her eyes remained fixed, and her gaze didn't even waver, concentrating on keeping the tree upright. He motioned for his friend to begin decorating the tree, while the kids watched on. Halfway through the decorating, the little girl, grinning and bouncing slightly, began to hang red and gold tinsel from the Mewtwo's arms and tails, draping it over her neck and what parts of the pokemon's body she could, and then adding a few dangly balls for good effect.
The kids all moved forwards once the decorations were up, and each took the present with their names on them, while Peter moved up behind Sin, laying a hand on her shoulder, having watched the whole thing. The little girl took her present, staring up at the twinkling lights of the tree with starry eyes, before grinning and retreating with her brightly-wrapped box, sitting with it in her lap and watching the tree.
"It's okay now Sin, you can let go, they've all got their presents from underneath." Peter said softly, lightly shaking her with his hand.
Sin blinked once, and the tree dipped imperceptibly, beginning to lean, she caught it before it could drop properly though, slowly lowering it to the ground, turning towards him and looking slightly dazed, shaking her head as if she were momentarily shell-shocked.
"Ugh..." she murmured, and then peered down at herself, draped in tinsel, with balls hands from her arms and tail, and even a bell around her neck. "I look like a christmas tree." she said, and then looked around at all the other people, her brows furrowing deeply. "You...You don't seem happy." she murmured, looking slightly worried now.
Peter pursed his lips for a moment, and then sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry Sin, but they don't have a present for you. They only gave out the presents for the humans..." he explained, trying to break it to her easy.
The Mewtwo looked around at all the people, happy and opening their presents, pulling out toys, and objects of value, and her brows furrowed deeply, a look of hurt creeping into her eyes. "You mean...I don't get a present?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level, though it cracked just a little bit in the middle of her sentence.
He gave a helpless shrug, and then went to hug her, but she pushed him away slightly. "I-It's okay!" she stammered, shaking her head. "I don't mind...I'm a pokemon...We don't get presents at christmas time." she said confidently, though Peter could see the hurt in her eyes, and the sadness in the limp curve of her tail.
Opening his mouth to try and cheer her up, he was interruped by a small voice from behind him. "Mister?" asked a little girl.
His head tilted as he peered down at the little girl who had been watching the Christmas tree, holding her present in her hands, a square box wrapped in red wrapping paper with Stantler print all over it.
"Yes?" he asked, curiously.
"I...I wanna give this to her." she said, motioning towards Sin with her nose.
"I...well...are you sure?" he asked, raising a brow at her, furrowing his brow a little.
The little girl nodded confidently.
Peter waved a hand helplessly towards the Mewtwo.
Sin was watching the other people open their presents, and laugh, and have a good time with eachother, a wistful look in her eye, a silent little tear sliding down one cheek. She blinked a little bit, and turned around as she heard the tentative voice behind her, quickly wiping her eyes and snuffling once, trying to act normal, giving a brave smile down at the little girl. "I-I hope I helped with your tree." she said with a firm nod, dropping to her knees to be on the same level as the little girl.
The little girl didn't reply, she just stepped closer, and then held out the present at full arms length, squeaking a 'For you'.
The Mewtwo blinked once, and then lifted a paw, before snatching it back, holding it to her chest, "But...isn't that...your present?" she asked, furrowing her brows deeply.
A nod was the reply from the little girl. "But I want you to have it." she said in a tiny voice. "You didn't get any presents, and my mommy will have a present for me as well." she said with an earnest nod, bouncing the present up and down a little bit.
Sin paused for a moment, and then reached out tentatively for the box, taking it in a shaking paw, and then peering at the little girl over it. "T-thank you..." she murmured.
"It's kay!" the little girl replied, bouncing on her heels a moment, before wheeling about and running back to her mother, leaving Sin on her knees, holding the present to her chest protectively.
"Gonna open it?" Peter asked of her, and she looked down at it for a long moment, nodding once, tentatively tugging at the bow on the top of it, and then carefully unwrapping it, to reveal a blue box beneath, which she then opened the top of, drawing out a snow globe, with a miniature of the cruise ship inside it, already shaken up slightly from being jostled, with 'snow' cascading around inside.
Her eyes lit up, and she stared at it in wonder, dropping the box by accident and holding the snowglobe against her nose, staring into its depths, her eyes slowly filling with tears. "I-It's so beautiful..." she murmured, her voice cracking a little bit, her tailtip spasming slightly as tears began to run down her muzzle.
"Are...are you okay?" Peter asked after a few moments, peering at her closely.
The Mewtwo shook her head helplessly. "I-I'm not!" she wailed, clutching the snowglobe to her chest protectively, almost wailing. "It's so pretty and the little girl gave it to me and I'm so happy butohgodI'mcryingIthinkI'mbroken!" she wailed incoherently.
Peter couldn't help but shake his head and smile a little bit, taking her paw and leading her to a corner, sitting her down in his lap in a chair at the very edge of the ballroom, hidden by a screen, hugging the tinseled Mewtwo until she stopped crying.
With a faint hiccup, Sin threw her arms around him tightly, kissing him furiously and crushing her body close to his. "I'm so happy..." she murmured brokenly. "I'm so happy I want to cry again and I shouldn't." she huffed, nuzzling her nose against his cheek lovingly as he laughed and hugged her.
"I'm glad you're happy." he stated, nudging his nose against hers again.
"I wish I could give you a present, Peter...but I don't have anything." she said, tentatively holding out the snowglobe.
Peter shook his head firmly and pushed it back. "No, I don't need anything." he said, with a firm shake of his head. "That's yours, you keep it. I don't need anything at all...I have you." he said with a grin.
His statement brought on a fresh burst of tears, and a hug that he thought would break his ribs, and he stroked her back soothingly until she calmed down again.
"You...you didn't get me anything, did you?" She asked critically, her tone denoting that she was really hoping he hadn't.
Peter shifted uncomfortably, and not due to the Mewtwo in his lap. "Well..I sorta did." He said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small, plush box, holding it out for her.
"You shouldn't have..." she whispered, starting to cry again, and he shushed her lightly with a fingertip, hushing her.
"I wanted to." he said, "And it's what Christmas is about."
Sin took the present with a trembling paw, and then opened it carefully, eyes widening as she caught sight of the pendant inside. It was a silver chain, thin and perfect, with a large, flat metal pendant on the end, silver around the edges, with a Moltres emblazoned on it in fire-stone, which sparkled and shimmered in ways that no ordinary gem ever could.
"I...I...It...I..." she tried to say something, to shape a thank you, but just broke into tears again and hugged around him tightly, holding as still as she could while he slid off the Tinsel around her neck, and then did up the chain around her neck.
"Turn it over." he whispered in her ear, kissing her tear-stained cheek gently.
With red eyes, she reached down for the pendant, and turned it over. On the back, scribed into the metal, were the words;
To Sin
With all my Love
From Peter
She stared at the words for a long time, and then peered up at him, snuffling once, her paws twitching a little bit on his shoulders as she tried to steady herself. "P-Peter?" she asked.
"Yes, Sin?" he queried,
"D-do you love me yet?" she asked tentatively.
Peter gave a faint little laugh and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against his chest and laying a kiss on her cheek again, whispering into her ear, "...I do."