Submitted: 2/11/2020

Word Count: 1171

Warning

Light Gore

Shout outs

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sd1229 and BuizelXPachirisu

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  Every pokemon were on placed their sight on the brood of dark types, anxious what was to come next. They held their breaths, waiting for some sort of attack. The young hid behind or held onto their parents and guards crowded around the vulnerable.

   Jonathan cursed with a venomous hush. "What in Arceus name is he doing? He's disrupting my business." Of course, he wouldn't say it out loud for he was horribly fearful of Asher. Underneath that cold stare was a shivering Floatzel.

   His son on the other hand, darted out from behind the stand. He gazed up at Asher and barked. "What are you doing? Haven't you caused enough troubles?"

   The dark type gazed down at the Buizel with a sickly sincere smile. The false care it produced made other coward in fear. "Why am I here? Well, my little friend, I have a speech. A grand one if I do so. And so I won't bother to use my beak for hunting, for I'll pour upon my honest words from it."

   "Honest my ass," Markus said.

   "But I'll be speaking the truth, the blinding truth that no one sees."

   What was this old Honchrow spitting on about? What truth do they don't know that everyone doesn't see? He may be old, but his knowledge was far from being trusted. No one usually believes in him because of his devious ways.

   "Your paradise of a little civilization is over. Your life won't revolve around poké any longer, for it can't replace the food and water that the drought has diminished of."

   Their was always going to be a drought during the dry "winter" season of the region. Escaping it was inedible. Only preparations could help managed. They always gathered fruits and herbs and dried them to preserve them, just like Rachel had taught them to do under her lead. However there had been fewer berries to harvest before the drought due to improper planning and neglect of farming without Rachel's leadership. This drought was far worse than any other drought, zapping moisture from the ground more than expected. The two calamities at once was really shortened the berry supply to the absolute minimum.

   That's why so many desperate customers flocked to Jonathan's stand. They were driven by hunger to even care where he got them from. They just knew he was a valuable food source. But he too wasn't getting as many berries he wanted.

   "Even my beloved riverbank had dried up, reduced to pitiful mud," Asher said mournfully.

   The others were visibly shocked by the news, whispers of worry could be heard. If Asher doesn't have any berries, then that meant no one except Jonathan has the last berries. The next batch of berries have been planted, but they were growing painfully slow and would take some time to go. They either have to wait while they starve or get the last of the berries Jonathan has. Even that won't keep them satisfied eventually.

   Asher had a plan in mind to solving the issue. "I propose we ditch the silly idea of a society. Everything of it. Enough of the silly poké. We go back to our primitive ways. Everyone for themselves. The hunters and the hunted. The fighters and the scavengers. A better and more exciting life!" He roared with his wings stretched out and puffed out his feathery chest.

   There was a moment of silence then suddenly some snickers. Then the laughter grew and grew until every voice chimed in. A better and exciting life? As if. His little did give out good pointers, but a horrible solution. Of course they won't go back to that stage of living. They will have happier lives with their current system of living.

   Besides, they knew he wanted for them to resort to their instincts to form chaos. Being the most skilled hunter, he would rule over the region once more. They won't let him do so.

   "I see you don't belive me. Tech, see if you'll laugh at this then." He slowly pulled out a yellow and black figure from his hat. A pichu dangled from his wing as he held up for the crowd to see.

   Various cuts and bruises were littered all over the poor creature. Its fur matted with blood covering it.

   Markus let our a mortified howl. "Nooo! Not Naomi." Tears already welled up in his eyelashes, pouring over his furred cheeks.

   Onlookers grew wide eyed at the body, some gagging and looking away. Some were hyperventilating while some ran away to escape the view and pressure of it all. Some were too petrified to even flinch, yet their hearts beated one hundred miles per hour.

   "Yes, I declare the resuming of our primitive era has started today with the first victim claimed." He threw the lifeless Pichu onto the ground. "May this be a reminder that living this way will soon be forgotten and you'll will start to turn on one another. No matter how silly or stretchy it seems," Asher said as he looked deep into Markus's watered filled eyes.

   "Y-you knew. All along you watched me go to her!" He surrounded his tail in a veil of water and aimed it at the flying type.

   The hunter was able to swoop over it by flying. He went upwards into the air. "C'mon, we have much work to do." His brood followed him as he flew towards their home.

   Markus quickly scampered over to Noami's body. He eagerly placed his ear over her heart. Not a single beat was beard and that killed everything inside of the Buizel. He nuzzled up a giant the cold corpse and bursted into a sob.

    His friend. His pupil. Gone. He brought her food to keep her alive. He taught her how to fight. He was so excited in helping the Pichu grow until she was able to fend for herself. But now he knew that such a future will never be reached. She had so much hope going for her.

   That's why she was Asher's perfect target. A weak baby pokémon that loved Markus, and he took that away from him.

   Some were saying gentle and sympathetic words to him, but they were blocked out by his thoughts. His thoughts of what she would have grown to be, thoughts of him shaming himself for not being careful enough to hide her here, thoughts of a dream of ripping Asher limb from limb.

   So many flooded his head. A few pokémon were approaching him to give him physical comfort, but he let out one last screech before bolting away into the unknown. He wanted to be alone.

   After an awkward silence, the guards restored order and customers went over to Jonathan's stand once more. The Floatzel was frightened by the scene, but his fear disappeared once pokémon shyly approached his stand. Jonathan brightened with a happy smile while the others were still gloomy after what they just witnessed. A pit of despair forming in them.

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✦ A u t h o r ' s  N o t e ✦

Thank you for those that were patient enough to wait for this book to resume. Its been two months since I've last updated this book, but that doesn't discourage me from updating it.

✦N e x t  U p d a t e ✦

Friday