Arceus, he hated when Rey got like this. It was creepy. Although that may just be because it reminds him that his boyfriend is the same as the rest of the scientists he’s been around. It was so easy to keep that fact out of mind when he avoided him at work and talking about work, but… times like these, it was an impossible reality to ignore.
He didn’t get close enough to see the state Baxter was in, but by the sound of Rey’s glee, it was bad. He took a breath to steady himself.
“Rey,”His voice was firm, hopefully,”You will succeed at what is needed to save him. He isn’t a test subject.”
“…I’ll… stick with him to make sure he doesn’t get carried away,”He promised Michael. He really didn’t want to though. He already knew that he would be having nightmares for awhile after just this. The things he does for family.
To Sivos,”Michael owes us quite a bit, so while I don’t mind that ‘he’s yours,’ I would like him to eventually be able to repay us.”
Creepy is his middle name.
But, knowing Barnes was creeped out by him, and knowing the signs of his boyfriend raising a flag, Rey did pause a bit. He bit his tongue, slowed himself down and glanced back at the other. It was a pained expression, but at the same time..Barnes was right.
..Ugh why did sweet and potential times like these happen when Barnes is around?? But the doctor did cover himself, “Ah..yes. I will succeed, this is true. -And if it has worked with Momo, then no doubt it’ll work on this..stronger patient...Oof.. he’s so perfect..” He was really really really holding himself back. “Resurrecting someone, I’ve found is tricky..kekeke...” He glanced at Barnes again and nodded,
“..I won’t experiment.” If something WERE to happen..at least Baxter had genetic children right? He was passed on! Things were going to be fiiiiiine!
Sweet Arceus this was going to be hard...Rey was wrestling with himself, but went on to prepare some things, quickly.
“No one owns me, stupid.” Michael snarled, “I’m right here.” Although it was starting to get harder to stay conscious, “I will not forget. No matter what happens to me..But..my friend is going to stay here regardless..More eyes..more..”
At the mention of more eyes, the eyes of a large Luxray, Arcanine, Ursaring, and Meowstic shone through. Their shape was fluid and glitchy, but still proved to be frightening and watching Baxter, Rey, and Barnes. They loomed ominously.
Sivos had let his mother’s passed Pokemon out to be his eyes just in case. Regardless, he murmured, “Nothing will go wrong. Good day to you all.” He stepped forward towards Barnes in his space, and in a strange instant, the blonde phased through the white haired and both Sivos and Michael were gone form the room.
The only message that was left, obviously in Sivos’ voice was a dark warning:
I am from the future, and know you from other futures, and each time you have walked a darker and darker path..this will not bring you happiness, and in the end you will corrupt everyone you love....family.....lover........your so called message..the world.....then yourself....
Stop in your tracks...for there is nothing left at that ending..
..I will see you again for your Judgement...if you do not turn back.
“Baxter?” Barnaby was just staring at the sheeted body with growing horror. As much as he hated to admit it, he did care for his brother-in-law….But more than that Bella would be devastated if he was gone, and the twins needed their father.
As soon as he composed himself enough to say something, he did. “We’ll help him.”
Barnaby, you can’t actually do anything here outside of errands, you know this.
“Rey will do everything he can do for him,” he amended.
At the confirmation of his role, Rey snapped out of it and rushed to the body at once, only brushing with Sivos. A chill ran through him, but he hissed, “Get out of my way-you..you...ghost--” But paused at seeing Michael’s poor excuse of legs. Rey’s mind was on fire with possibilities!
“..How do you expect to live with that amount of blood wasted..” Precious..precious fairy blood even. “You need to stay here too-I can help you too--”
“No. No you’re not. He’s going to the hospital. I know your game, Freeman.” This time it was Sivos cutting in with a frown and had disappeared a fair distance away from Rey. Enough for him to hiss at the doctor, “Michael is mine.”
Frowning himself, Rey shrugged, looked below the sheet to the body and gulped with anticipation, “...Very..very...a-and yet he’s..perfect.. he could b-be..” His voice was shortened with excited breathes at how mangled Baxter was with bullet wounds and...horns? So many spikes too-and burns...but the body was still intact as ever..! Just his face was--
He rushed off to grab some things, grinning widely, “Perfect..perfect! He will be taken care of..ehehe! You’ll see! As a failure or a success, he will be perfect..!”
Barnaby was about to poke fun at Rey when the door shut. He reached behind him to try and open it. It didn’t budge. Great. He focused his attention at the voice in front of him.
“Mike?” There was so much to unpack from the scene in front of them, which was even harder to understand since it was hard to see in the light. Instead of doing that, he stepped in front of Rey, and held his cane up like a sword. “What’s going on here?”
Barnes. His hero in all of this~~ Wait where was Momo? Oh Arceus it was just the two of them and whatever was happening. That figure was NOT Michael. This figure was too tall, and had a haunting gaze to him. Even in the darkness, it felt like it was piercing through him. Reynold had frozen up. Where would he get his weapon? The poisons..! Now they were trapped, too..!
“Listen to me.” Michael started, and pointed to a nearby operation table, whispering to Sivos to ‘there’. The hooded blonde placed the body down with a sigh, letting Michael to say more, “I know I owe you..big. But this isn’t about me. This is about..Baxter..”
Saying his name made him sick with guilt, so much that Michael shut his eyes and tried to get the image out of his head, “..S-Sivos told me what you and Reynold do and you have-no..you must do something. You must..” His voice became more stern, “You MUST.”
“Wh..is..how..” The blonde doctor was concerned beyond all reason, dating in between the sheeted obvious body but--
Then it all came together. Oh no.. “What..happened...”
“You’ll be alright, I’m on my way,” He hung up. As they got closer he told Momo to stay hidden unless things seemed to go bad. She nodded, and headed off to a better position, and Barnaby continued to Rey’s lab. When he got there, he had scrunched his nose. “Has there been any change in the situation?”
As he said that, he readied his cane for when they decided to open the door.
Rey nodded at Momo in greeting and shook his head for Barnes, “No..nothing changing. Just uneasiness. Augh..I hope its nothing..Like that damned Natu friend doing something or- no..no..” He took a deep breathe, stepped to the side, and opened the door.
The feeling, the dark aura, and even the smell wasn’t..there? The doctor widened his eyes, “No way.. nothing..right..?” Rey caught his breathe, looking back at Barnes, then going to turn on the lights because that’s the smartest thing anyone SHOULD DO in horror-esque situations!
However, when Rey stepped in, and Barnes did, the door shut abruptly like a metal snap trap. The doctor jumped out of his skin, about to scream, but covered his mouth in sheer freight, pointing at the door. “B-Barnes..!”
“So this is where you hide your experiments...be lucky I’m not in the best of moods... “
Came a familiar growl from a cop you all know and love! But, you know. Only half of him. Also being carried by a Spirit was p weird. Said Spirit stepped forward to both scientist and Rocket, carrying a blanketed large body in his arms, and Michael holding onto Sivos’ shoulders and neck. He’s seen better days.
Don’t look behind because Michael’s legs are hardly there, so that’s a no-go, as indicated by the strong scent of blood.
Barnaby was so done with today as people were being especially stupid. When his boyfriend called he looked at his watch and perked up. He was done! He started packing up to leave as he answered,”Go for B~”
“What kind of trouble? Are you still at your lab?” He dropped his stuff, and grabbed his cane. He motioned for Momo to follow him, and started sneaking towards the labs.
Rey closed the door behind him, gulping, “Yeah-just..” His voice was shakey, the aura around the place was getting to him, which was weird. He was used to blood! But now..now it felt like someone was actually watching. Someone awful.
“I’m guarding the door, but someone’s in there. -And something’s telling me it wants me. Oof...” The doctor gulped, “For once I feel unsure, could you come over?”
Ready for the work day to be over! It had been too bad. He used to be so ecstatic with this job, but ever since the introduction of Barne’s plan he was..underwhelmed with Rocket. Actually really pissed, but still. His focus now was to focus on Barnes’ lead, go with his plan, as well as take care of their...their children.
Still hard to say, let alone think it.
Just as he was packing up and locking up his lab, the doctor paused in place, frozen by a faint smell of decay and blood. Shivers ran up his back. He was freaked out, and did NOT want to explore. So he fled, grabbed his holocastor and called Barnes.
[Incoming call]
When his boyfriend picked up, Rey whispered,
“Barnes? Are you working still..? I’ve got some trouble here..”
“Yeah, but consider…candy.” She spread her arms out in a ‘this is the world’ type gesture. “Candy tastes great, especially for snacks!” And meals on occasion when she spends too much on candy, and blows her food money.
“Candy is a snack. So you’re saying candy is great with even more candy. How old are you? No child should ever eat candy as is, but I’ll judge whether you’re irresponsible, really irresponsible, or just begging for health dangers in the future.”
Rey’s learned never to trust appearances as far as ages. He hoped this kid wasn’t older than 18. Then her choices would be HIGHLY irresponsible.
“Hey hey, do you know if there’s a candy store around here?”
Reynold stared down at this child in disbelief that she would ask such a thing.
...He guessed if wasn’t so obvious that he was a doctor so he cleared his throat, “Why on Earth would you want candy. Are you hungry? You should get real food. Not trash.”
“I would draw the line. Not a single step over it. Nope. The M!A’s and headbands are the closest Rey is getting to me being a catboy. And jokes like that are not funny.”
And yet it wasn’t the catboy part of that ask that he was upset with.
“Barnes it’ll be okay. I’m not doing a thing to you. Ever. Only for doctor reasons of necessity and sickness. NOT alterings and science.”
"Happy Birthday, Uncle Rey. I hope you have another great year, and uhm it's not much, but." Did Wyatt get Rey a mug that says 'I talk about science periodically' on it with a periodic table? Why yes, yes he did.
Reynold analyzed the boy and nodded a little until noticing the mug that said--
Oh that was rich. He gave a chuckle, “Thank you, Wyatt. I appreciate it greatly. You know me quite well! I drink a lot of coffee.”
Also the science part. Anyone that even stood around this man knew that science was pretty much in his aura.
“Yayay! Let’s plaaay!” Til pranced into the kitchen, ready to learn.
Reynold nodded and walked out of the office to follow Til, “Merlow? You too.” He spotted Barnes as well, “We’re going to show you how to make a couple of things in he kitchen. What do you want to make? We have things for pancakes, eggs..ah...”
Merlow snuck in, as if appearing out of nowhere, and hopped up to sit on the counter, “Eggs with syrup.”