Pokemon Control (DRAFT, 13+)

Chapter 10: Dead Silence...

"That fucking piece of shit..." Tyler muttered angrily under his breath, clearly displeased with the task at hand. He aimlessly kicked a small pebble repeatedly as he ventured deeper into the forest, each kick serving as an outlet for his frustration. His expression softened as his gaze remained fixed on the ground, lost in thought.

However, his focus wavered momentarily, causing him to miss his next kick and leading to an audible groan of annoyance. Feeling too irritated to retrieve the pebble, he continued on with heavier, more resentful steps, finally lifting his eyes from the ground.

As his gaze ascended, a nightmarish sight lay before him. In stark contrast to the outer edges of the forest, where the trees stood tall and majestic, here the forest lay in ruins. Trees, once teeming with life, now lay lifeless, some toppled over, others piled haphazardly upon one another. The stumps of these fallen giants were cruel reminders of their former glory, their jagged edges marking where their existence have been severed.

But it wasn't just the fallen trees that unsettled Tyler. The forest was dead silent and devoid of any signs of wild Pokemon. No rustling leaves, no chirping birds, no scurrying critters; just an unsettling emptiness that sent a shiver down his spine. It was as if nature itself had abandoned this desolate place.

The forest only grew more dismal as Tyler ventured deeper into its depths. The relentless expanse of lifeless trees seemed endless, creating an unsettling atmosphere that left him feeling trapped in a nightmarish loop.

Amidst the silence and eerie desolation, Tyler's empty stomach couldn't help but demand attention. A thunderous growl resonated through the stillness, a stark reminder of his skipped meals. He had missed breakfast due to the encounter with the Steelix and lunch because of the intense training. Hunger gnawed at him, gnashing its teeth like an impatient beast.

"Uggghhh..." Tyler groaned, clutching his aching stomach. The prospect of finding berries for a weakened Pokémon suddenly seemed much less appealing than satisfying his own voracious hunger. His resolve wavered as he contemplated a selfish indulgence, "I don't care about getting scolded or whatever for not finding those berries... if there even are any, I'm eating them myself..." he declared to himself selfishly.

As Tyler pressed on through the desolate forest, a glimmer of hope shone through the bleakness. In his peripheral vision, a solitary bush stood defiantly amidst the fallen trees, bearing a single Sitrus Berry, vibrant and inviting.

Without hesitation, Tyler sprinted toward the lone source of nourishment. His fingers delicately plucked the juicy berry from the bush, a flicker of relief crossing his face as he cradled it in his hand. "Finally... some food," he sighed with a genuine sense of relief.

Yet, as the prospect of satisfying his own hunger loomed before him, Tyler's mind involuntarily drifted back to the injured Petilil. A peculiar feeling began to wash over him, one that he hadn't experienced since he first encountered Charmander. It was a sensation that mirrored empathy, a connection that he struggled to comprehend.

Reflecting on that encounter in the wilderness, he realized that he had empathized with Charmander because the two of them have met while both in a similar situation—cold, starved, and parched. Their shared desperation had formed a bond of understanding, compelling Tyler to sacrifice his own flesh to feed the Pokémon.

But now, as he thought about the battered and defenseless Petilil, that same inexplicable empathy surged within him. It puzzled him greatly. After all, for the longest time, he had been nothing but a ruthless, selfish hunter, driven by the primal need to hunt and kill for survival, the screams and cries of his prey had fallen deaf onto his ears as the blood that splattered everywhere from brutally ripping out their guts had became a common sight for him to behold. Yet, the sight of the wounds of the injured Petilil had stirred something deep within him, evoking a profound connection just like he had with Charmander.