The Stag at the Pass (Pokemon X)

He leaned back on his tail and hissed softly as the human stoked the fire.

She hummed a little tune as she stabbed at the embers before them, knees in the dirt, tailless rear sticking out so close to the stag he wondered why the old God didn’t give her a good shove just for spite. No, instead the creature stared at her with its strange cross-eyes wide in something like adoration. He’d seen that look of awe toward a human on the face of a Pikachu, a Meganium, but never on another so-called Legendary. It made him sick.

And he must have gagged, because she looked up, worry in her dark eyes. She started to ask, but he held up a paw, in that strange “stop” motion Red had used whenever he had tried to demand his freedom. She closed her eyes, gave a small bow of the head, and went back to the fire.

“This one is not like the others,” the stag insisted.

“This one is like many others. Just because she is less offensive does not mean that she is inoffensive.”

Xerneas looked over at him, eyes narrowing. “A creature who desires nothing more to feed and care for you, to show you the world in exchange for a pittance of data is offensive? What would not offend you, Son of Mew?”

He crossed his arms, looking away. “I have no desire to go exploring. My place is here, in this village, among these trees and these lost Pokemon.  That she would provide me with the sustenance this enslavement prevents me from providing myself is no cause for gratitude.”

“Enslavement! Do you truly believe that she will force you to do anything against your will?”

She looked over at the pair of them and smiled. Mewtwo looked away.

“I do not want to be sitting here conversing with a brainwashed fool in front of a fire, and here I am.”

“A brainwashed fool.” The stag huffed. “You are the fool. You would not be here if not for my power, my existence. I am the font of Life, and your makers lived to make you by the grace of my power.”

“You cling to this child because she rescued you from a more dangerous threat. If Team Flare had not enslaved and exploited you, you would care nothing for her.”  Mewtwo smirked, looking into the flames.

“I cling to this child because she walked into death so that you might live.” He turned his head to her. “Serena, dear heart, you should throw this one back. He has room yet to grow.”

Then the stag rose, magnificent on his hooves, and trotted over to his tiny master. He reached down to her belt and nosed at a ball, then rocked his head back toward Mewtwo.

Her face fell, shoulders sinking, but she pulled the purple orb from her side and held it out to Mewtwo. She smiled, tears in her eyes, and broke his heart.