Warning: This chapter will involve scenes of oral vore and graphic digestion. If this is not your thing then stop reading now. You have been warned!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is the property of Nintendo and Game Freak.

Guardians of Alicrest: Chapter 8: The Oasis of Purity

"Aww! Do you really have to go?!" Sol and Luna whined in unison as they clung to Cedric's fur.

"I'm afraid so. Ava needs my help to search for the Oasis of Purity." Cedric explained to them.

"But can't we come with you?" they insisted.

Cedric knelt down, placing a paw on each of their heads "Listen, I need you two watch over your mother while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?" he asked.

"Of course we can!" they replied.

"Good, I knew I could count on you. I'll be back soon, I promise." Cedric assured them.

Now that Sol and Luna finally let him go, Aurora stepped forward and embraced Cedric one last time before he left "Please, stay safe out there." she said to him.

"I will. And I haven't forgotten my other promise. I will make this world safe for our children." he responded.

After they said their final farewells, Cedric, Ming, and Ava were off, heading south towards the great desert. As they traveled the forest grew more and more sparse. The ambient temperature was also slowly rising, causing the three to break out in a sweat as they moved. This effect was particularly harsh for Ava. Being an ice type, the forest was already uncomfortably warm for her, but this heat was almost unbearable. However, she had to endure it. This was the only chance she had of being healed; Of being able to walk again; Of being able to live a normal life. So Ava tried to put the heat out of her mind, instead focusing on the changing terrain around her. Not only had the trees thinned out, but ground vegetation such as grasses and bushes had become rare as well. As Ava looked to the horizon, all she could see was the dry, cracked earth stretching out in front of her. In all her life, she had never seen such a barren stretch of land.

Ava's heart sank a little as she began to realize just how daunting the task ahead really was "It's so... empty." she thought aloud.

"That's the southern desert for you." Cedric said "Nothing but sun and sand as far as the eye can see."

"And yet, somewhere out their could lie the key to healing you." Ming said hopefully.

"But where will we even begin?" Ava asked.

"Sha'alzir." Cedric answered "It's a city that should be a ways south of here." 

"A city, in the desert?" Ava questioned.

"Not just any city, it's the largest city in Alicrest." Ming said.

"A large oasis was found in the desert. Sha'alzir sprung up around it, and became quite prosperous. It's become sort of a crossroad for those traveling through the desert. If anyone has information on the Oasis of Purity, they would be there." Cedric elaborated.

As they trekked south into the scorching wasteland, the terrain slowly shifted from cracked dirt to a sea of fine sand. The sun continued to beat down on them mercilessly, making them pant and sweat profusely. Ava began to feel light headed as the heat took its toll on her. She stared off into the distance, barely conscious. The heat bent the light on the horizon, making the ground shimmer like the surface of a lake.

"Water." Ava muttered.

This drew Cedric and Ming's attention. The heat was affecting Ava even worse than they had expected. The gave Ava some of their water ration to help stave off dehydration, but if they didn't find some shade soon, the poor Glaceon would succumb to heat exhaustion. It was too late to turn back now, so they pressed onward, praying to Archeus that they would find some relief soon. Fortunately, their prayers were answered as they looked towards the horizon. In the distance, they could make out the tops of buildings. Sha'alzir, it had to be. Having their goal in sight, Ming and Cedric picked up the pace, pushing through their own exhaustion to rush Ava to sanctuary.

******

Ming and Cedric flopped down in the shade cast by the buildings of Sha'alzir, panting heavily from heat and exhaustion. They chugged the last of their water to regain their strength. However, Ava was still in poor condition. Her body temperature was dangerously high and she had already passed out from the heat. Their best option was to search in town for someone or something that could help her. So the trio entered the grand city of Sha'alzir.

The city was unlike anything they had ever seen. Unlike the burrows and dens of the forest, the structures of Sha'alzir were entirely Pokemon-made. Great buildings of stone and clay were laid out in an orderly fashion, leaving plenty of room for street traffic. The architecture of the buildings themselves was also impeccable. Finely cut archways allowed entrance into the many structures, and fancy dome-like roofs pointing up into spires adorned each building.

The buildings were not the only thing interesting about the city; The streets were filled with Pokemon of all shapes and sizes. Many of them were rock or ground types, but there were other types around as well. Most Pokemon were so busy that they didn't even notice the trio. Travelers were commonplace in Sha'alzir so they didn't stand out too much, but an ice type was a rare sight so they did get a few curious looks as they walked along. They seemed to be in some kind of bazaar. Many merchants were showing off their wears and competing for customers. Ming and Cedric kept an eye out for anything that could help Ava.

As luck would have it, Cedric spotted something of interest. At one of the merchant stands was a cluster of ice crystals, seemingly unaffected by the desert heat. He stepped closer for a better look.

"Ah, you have an eye for quality my friend." a Meowth popped up from behind the stand with a large grin on his face "Those are Never-Melt Ice crystals from the far off northern mountains. Guaranteed to beat the desert heat, this wondrous item can be yours for a mere four hundred poken."

"Um..." Cedric began.

"Not biting huh? Three fifty then." the Meowth tried to haggle.

"I don't think you..." Cedric tried again.

"You're one tough customer. Fine, three hundred, but that's as low as I'll go." the Meowth interrupted again.

"We don't have any money." Cedric blurted out.

"Oh..." the Meowth's grin vanished in an instant.

"We're from the forest, we don't have any of your currency." Ming explained.

"Forest dwellers huh?" the Meowth said in a much less friendly tone "Look, you may be fine sharing stuff where you come from, but here you have to pay for your goods. So if you don't have any money, scram to make room for the paying customers."

"You don't understand, our friend needs that crystal to survive!" Cedric tried to explain.

"And I need a new scratching post. I'm running a business here, not a charity." the Meowth retorted.

"Why you little..." Cedric's eyes began to glow, but Ming put a paw on his shoulder to calm him.

Cedric gave one last angry glare at the Meowth before storming off. As soon as they were a few steps away from the stand a voice came from a nearby building.

"Psst... Over here." the voice called to them.

Ming and Cedric made their way to the source of the voice to find that it was an Emolga.

"I heard what you said about your friend. I know where you can get some Never-Melt Ice crystals for free. Follow me." the Emolga said.

It seemed a little shady, but they didn't have many other options.

"Very well." Cedric agreed.

They followed the Emolga through a couple of buildings and streets, before finally entering a dimly lit structure. The temperature was much cooler inside, and the reason soon became apparent. There were Never-Melt Ice crystals scattered about the room, releasing their cooling effect into the air. Cedric set Ava down by one of the crystals, hope that it would help to cool her body off. As they waited, Ming turned her attention to the Emolga.

"Thank you. You don't know what this means to us." she said.

"It's my pleasure. Not everyone around here is a jerk. My name's Sora by the way." the Emolga introduced himself.

"Ming." the Mienshao replied.

"I'm Cedric." the Meowstic added "And our friend's name is Ava."

"It's rare to see an ice type around this area." Sora commented "She must be looking for something very important to risk coming out here."

"Indeed, we've come seeking the Oasis of Purity." Cedric explained.

"What a coincidence, I have a friend who's dedicated his life to finding that oasis." Sora said as pawsteps could be heard entering the room "Speak of the devil."

Cedric and Ming looked to see an Absol wearing traveler's garbs enter the room.

"Absolon, you're back." Sora welcomed him "I'm guessing it was another failure?"

"Yes, same as last three attempts." he answered the Emolga before noticing the others in the room "Sora, what are they doing here?"

"Oh, they're new in town, and their friend needed some relief from the desert heat." Sora explained.

Absolon observed the three strangers in his home. "A Glaceon... You should be careful about taking her around in public. There is a price on her head you know, and there are those who wouldn't hesitate to turn her in for their own selfish gain." he warned Cedric and Ming before beginning to head to another room.

"Wait." Cedric stopped him "What can you tell us about the Oasis of Purity?"

Absolon eyed him for a few seconds "You want my advice? Give up now, you'll save yourself a lot of disappointment." he said before leaving the room.

"Well he seems... nice." Ming said sarcastically.

"He's not so bad once you get to know him. He's probably just tired from his journey. I'm sure he'll be more willing to talk in the morning."

"I sure hope so." Cedric said "We didn't come all this way to leave empty pawed."

"Feel free to sleep here tonight." Sora offered.

"Thanks, but we wouldn't want you to be put out." Ming replied.

"It's no problem." Sora insisted "Besides, you'll have trouble finding a place to stay if you don't have any money."

"Well you have a point." Cedric relented "Thank you for your hospitality."

******

Ava slowly opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was the oppressive desert heat and seeing an unfocused blob in the distance. But now she was in a dimly lit structure that was pleasantly cool. She was growing tired of waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. She spotted Cedric and Ming sleeping the opposite corner of the room, which abated any fear she may have been feeling. So was this it? Had they reached Sha'alzir?

"Oh, you're awake." a cheerful voice suddenly said, surprising Ava and nearly made her jump out of her skin.

A sharp pain shot through her shoulder at the sudden movement, making her yip and groan in pain, which woke Cedric and Ming, who were immediately on the defensive.

"Ava, what is it?! Are you okay?!" Ming asked.

"Y-yeah. I was just startled." Ava responded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." the voice apologized before an Emolga stepped into view "My name is Sora. Can I get you anything?"

"Some water would be nice." Ava requested, her throat feeling parched.

"Coming right up." Sora said before heading into another room.

"So we made it then?" Ava asked.

"Yes, this is Sha'alzir." Cedric answered.

Ava took a moment to look around and take in her surroundings. This building was far different than Nefarious's strongholds. The architecture was far more artistic and the atmosphere was much nicer. Moments later, Sora came back with a bowl of water.

"Thank you." Ava said before drinking plentifully.

While Ava drank, Absolon wandered into the room, no longer wearing his traveler garb.

"Oh, you're still here." he stated bluntly.

"Come on Absolon, they're our guests. Don't take out your frustration on them." Sora said.

Absolon sighed "I suppose you're right. I fear we may have gotten off on the wrong paw. My name is Absolon."

"I'm Ming." Ming introduced herself.

"Cedric." Cedric continued.

"And your friend?" Absolon asked eying the Glaceon.

Ava stopped drinking for a moment to answer the Absol "My name is Ava."

Absolon turned back to Cedric "Yesterday you asked me about the Oasis of Purity. Tell me, why do you seek such a powerful thing?"

"Ava has suffered permanent injuries that no practical healing technique can cure. We were hoping that the Oasis of Purity could do for her what we cannot." Cedric explained.

Absolon considered this for a few moments. There were plenty of those who would seek the oasis for their own selfish gain. But for some reason, their intentions seemed genuine and he felt that he could trust them.

"Well, I can tell you what I know about the oasis's whereabouts, but I must warn you; All who have gone looking for the Oasis of Purity have either returned miserable failures or they haven't returned at all." Absolon said ominously.

"We're willing to take that risk." Cedric said with determination.

"Very well." Absolon prepared to tell them what he knew "I am an explorer by trade, and I've dedicated by life to finding the Oasis of Purity. My horn can sense even the slightest shifts in atmospheric pressure, allowing me avoid harsh sandstorms and other natural disasters. But southeast of here there is a sandstorm that never seems to cease. It encompasses a large area and never seems to move. I'm convinced that this sandstorm is not natural. I believe that it is guarding something. However, any of my attempts to get through the sandstorm have ended in failure. Somehow, once inside, direction seems to lose all meaning. No matter how hard I try to plot a straight course, I always end up back in the desert. I fell this is further proof that this sandstorm is hiding something. I can show you the location of this sandstorm, but you're on your own from there. I still haven't recovered from my last trek into that sandstorm."

"Sounds like we better prepare for a rough trip." Cedric commented.

"Yes, you'll need Never-Melt Ice crystals to protect you from the heat, and traveler's garbs to protect you from the harsh sands." Absolon confirmed.

"Well that could be a problem. We don't have any money." Ming said.

"We have plenty of Never-Melt Ice crystals, and I should have some old garbs lying around here somewhere." Absolon offered.

After a couple minutes of searching, they managed to turn up a garb for each of them. Ming's garb was a little tight and Cedric's was a little loose, but they would have to do.

"That should also help protect Ava from any prying eyes." Absolon added "We'll head out as soon as you're ready."

Ava, Cedric, and Ming all thanked Sora before following Absolon out of the building and through the busy streets of Sha'alzir. Ava was fascinated by all the sights and sounds of the city. She wasn't used to seeing so many Pokemon out in the open.

"There are so many Pokemon here. Aren't they afraid of the Vorlords?" Ava asked Absolon.

"Of course they are. Every Pokemon here lives their lives playing the odds." Absolon answered.

"Huh?" Ava questioned, not quite understanding his answer.

"The population is so high here that even if a Vorlord does attack, your individual chance of being eaten is very slim." Absolon elaborated "But that comes as little consolation to those who are actually chosen. If anything, it makes their deaths that much worse." Absolon added somberly.

As they reached the edge of town, Absolon looked out over the desert. He didn't think he'd be returning here so soon. He checked his horn for any unforeseen weather conditions and when he was convinced they wouldn't be swept up in a sudden sandstorm, they set off into the desert. The trip was much more manageable this time. The ice crystal kept things at a reasonable temperature, even for Ava. They continued to travel southeast until they could see a massive sandstorm in the distance.

"There it is." Absolon stated "I wish you the best of luck. Remember, if things get too rough out there, there's no shame in turning back."

They thanked Absolon before continuing forward. After a bit more traveling they could feel the winds around them picking up. The sand was blowing softly at first, but as they continued forward, the winds increased in intensity and the grains of sand swept up in its current became like tiny bullets. Fortunately their cloths protected them from most of the sand, but that didn't stop the occasion grains from whipping their faces or paws.

They continued forward for about an hour before they started to notice what Absolon had warned them about. The sandstorm obscured their vision, letting them see no more than a foot in front of them. Although they thought they were going forward, it was impossible to tell and the sandstorm swiftly covered any tracks they made, making it impossible to tell where they had come from.

"I think we're lost!" Ming shouted to Cedric through the storm.

"We don't have any other choice! We have to continue forward!" Cedric shouted back.

Things were beginning to look bleak. Even if they were protected from the heat and sand, they would eventually die of dehydration if they couldn't find their way out. After another half hour of traveling, they stopped to catch their breath.

"I think we should turn back!" Ming suggested.

"But which way is back?!" Cedric replied.

Ava could only sit back and watch as the other two discussed the best course of action. Things seemed hopeless. After everything they had been through, was this really how it was going to end? Lost in the middle of a sandstorm, searching for an oasis that might not even exist. Ava closed her eyes, wishing for any kind of sign that could aid them. Suddenly Ava felt a strange sensation she didn't quite understand. It was like she was being pulled, no it was more like a calling.

"Guys, I think we should go right!" she shouted to them.

They both looked at her curiously. "What?! Why?!" Cedric asked.

"I don't know! I can't really describe it! It's just a feeling!" Ava explained.

"I say we listen to her! What do we have to lose?!" Ming said.

"Very well! Lead the way!" Cedric instructed.

As Ava continued to give them directions, a strange sense of deja vu came over her. Somehow this all felt very familiar to her, despite never having been here in her life. After a couple more minutes of travel, the whipping sands began to die down. Spirits lifted as it appeared that they were reaching the edge of the sandstorm. In the very least, they wouldn't be lost anymore. Finally the sandstorm diminished enough for them to get a clear look at their surroundings. They were surprised to see that the sandstorm seemed to encompass the area they were in. They had reached the eye of the storm. But the most interesting thing about their location, was the vegetation and palm trees in the distance. That could only mean one thing... water.

"You don't think?..." Ming questioned.

"Could it be?..." Ava asked hopefully.

"The Oasis of Purity." Cedric uttered in disbelief.

For the first time since they could remember, they shouted a cheer of joy. They had done it. Against all odds, they had found the legendary oasis. With new-found vigor they quickly raced towards the horizon. However as they approached the oasis, something didn't feel right. The closer they got, the darker the sky seemed to grow, and they soon found themselves wrapped in a thick mist.

"What's going on?" Cedric asked out loud.

"You don't think we jumped to conclusions do you?" Ming questioned.

"No, this is it. I can... feel it." Ava said again having the strange sense that she had been here before.

So they continued forward, although with a little more caution. Finally they could see the surface of the oasis, but again things weren't right. The water in the oasis should have been pristine and pure, but instead the surface seemed polluted and toxic.

"How... How can this be?" Cedric uttered.

"What happened here?" Ming asked.

As they stared out over the water's surface, a shadowy form slowly faded into existence. When the shadows finally solidified, they were able to identify the apparition. It was a Dusknoir.

"You should not be here..." it said in a low shadowy voice.

"You! Are you the one responsible for this?!" Cedric demanded to know.

"Yes..." the Dusknoir answered.

"But why?" Ava asked, her voice cracking a little as she saw her only hope being taken away from her.

"A terrible tragedy transpired here... All I can remember is pain... So much pain... You must leave!..." the Dusknoir threatened.

"No!" Cedric shouted "We didn't come all this way for nothing! If you are the cause of this corruption, then we'll fight you if we must!" Cedric finished as he and Ming took fighting stances.

"Very well... If you refuse to leave, then you can share my pain!" the Dusknoir declared.

He held out his hands, causing a red aura to surround Ming and Cedric. Instantly they felt like their bodies were on fire, causing them both to collapse to the ground and writhe in agony. Cedric lost his hold on Ava, dropping her to the ground as well. The Dusknoir turned to her, holding his hands out in the same manner.

"No, please!" Ava cried in a panic.

A red aura surrounded her and she flinched in terror, but the pain never came. She opened her eyes again to see that the Dusknoir was looking at her curiously.

"Interesting... You have felt my pain..." the Dusknoir observed "No matter... I have other ways of dealing with you."

He began to charge a ball of shadow energy in his hands and aimed it at the defenseless Glaceon.

"Now, begone!" he shouted.

"Please stop! Suicune, this is you!" Ava shouted suddenly.

The Dusknoir was taken aback. The Shadow Ball he was charging dissipated and the red auras surrounding Ming and Cedric faded.

"That name... that's MY name!" the Dusknoir said in shock "But how?!" he clasped his hands to his face.

Ava was just as confused as he was. How did she know that name? How did she know it was his? Just like everything else that was happening, she had a strange sense like she knew him. The Dusknoir began to twitch and writhe as memories flooded back to him. He remembered who he was. He remembered what he was supposed to do. The Dusknoir let out one final cry as light burst from his body, encompassing the area in a blinding white light. When the light finally cleared, the fog had lifted and the sun shown brightly in the sky. Not only that, but the once toxic oasis was once again clean and pure.

Ava looked to Cedric and Ming, who were lying on the ground, panting heavily, their minds and bodies still in shock. She looked back out over the oasis to find that a new spirit was coming into being. However this spirit looked far different than the Dusknoir they had just seem. It appeared to be a large quadrupedal blue canine with a large flowing purple mane. Ava had never seen such a regal creature and she in awe of his beauty. The spirit looked directly at her and spoke in a much more pleasant voice than the Dusknoir.

"What is your name, young one?" he asked.

"I'm Ava." the Glaceon answered.

"Well Ava, I don't know how you did it, but you have my thanks for restoring my spirit to its true form. I am Guardian Suicune." the spirit said profoundly.

Ava didn't know how to respond, her mind in total shock about what she just heard. Was she really standing in front of one of the legendary Guardians of Alicrest.

"The Guardians..." Cedric said, finally having recovered "They're real..." he finished in disbelief.

"Yes, we are real." Suicune confirmed "But alas, I am no longer a part of this world."

"What happened to you?" Ming asked, having also recovered.

"Ovorlord Oroburos. He did this to me." Suicune answered "My memory is hazy. I don't remember much other than pain. So much pain. I became so consumed by vengeance that my spirit could not depart this world and turned into the form you previously encountered."

Everyone was silent again for a few moments. They had heard the name Oroburos before, when they encountered and defeated Akuma. But was this being really strong enough to kill a guardian? That thought was frightening.

"However, thanks to your friend, I remembered who I truly am. I feel as though I can finally pass on into the next world." Suicune said.

"Wait, before you go, we have a favor to ask of you." Cedric said "Ava has been injured beyond the means of conventional medicine. With your permission, we'd like for her to drink from the oasis."

"Of course, you may all drink from the oasis." Suicune answered.

"Really? Oh, thank you, thank you!" Ming praised him.

Cedric and Ming moved to the water's edge, Cedric levitating Ava over to join them. Ming and Cedric cupped their paws and pulled a pawful of water to their respective mouths. The effects seemed almost immediate for Ming. She unwrapped her injured paw to find that it had completely healed.

"Incredible!" she said in amazement.

Ava stared down into her own reflection. This was the moment of truth. Could the oasis really help her? Or was she doomed to never walk again? She dipped her head down and drank from the oasis. It was the best water she had ever tasted, and it wasn't just because they had been trekking through the desert for the past couple of hours. As she drank, she could feel the dull pain in her shoulder lessen. It continued to diminish until it was nothing but a memory.

It had been so long since she could stand without effort. It seemed almost surreal. She turned around and took a ginger step forward. She was amazed, for the first time since her injury, she was able to walk without collapsing to the ground. She was overjoyed. She began to jump and bound around happily. Suddenly the muscles in her shoulder cramped up, causing her to lose her footing and fall to the ground.

"Ava!" Ming and Cedric cried in alarm.

"I-I don't understand." Ava muttered as a pain throbbed through her shoulder.

"I am no longer of this world. As such, I'm afraid the oasis's power has diminished. I'm sorry." Suicune explained.

Once again Ava was at a loss for words. She had wildly mixed emotions about this. On the one paw, she finally able to stand and walk without pain. She would no longer have to live her life in pain. But on the other paw, she was still injured. She couldn't run, jump, or perform any sort of strenuous activity. Even though there had never been any guarantee that this would work, she had to admit that she had still gotten her hopes up. And with this avenue closed, she would have to cope with the fact that she would never fully heal. A small stream of tears rolled down her face as she realized this.

As usual, Cedric and Ming did what they could to comfort the poor Glaceon. They decided it would be best to spend the night at the oasis to give Ava time to come to terms with her predicament. Besides, it had been a long day and they were not feeling up for another trek through the desert.

The one thing they had to give to the southern desert was the night sky. In the forest, the sky was often obscured by trees or clouds, but out here the heavenly bodies shined brilliantly in the clear night sky. It was very beautiful and quite calming. It almost made one forget about the horrors that plagued this world and the problems that still awaited them once they returned to the forest. But for tonight at least, they were able to sleep soundly under the peaceful desert sky.

The warm glow of the morning sun roused everyone from their sleep. Freshly rested, they were ready to make their trip back to Sha'alzir. They immediately noticed that the perpetual sandstorm that guarded the fountain had vanished, along with Suicune's spirit. At least that would make their journey a lot easier. Ava started out the first leg of the journey on her own feet, but after half an hour of trudging through sand here shoulder began to ache again. Since Ming's paw had healed, she took it upon herself to carry Ava the remaining distance.

After some more traveling, they could see Sha'alzir in the distance. They couldn't wait to tell Absolon of their success and get another moment to relax. But as they approached the city gates, a loud roar in the distance caught their attention. They turned and looked at the northern sky to find a horde of dragon type Pokemon fly towards Sha'alzir. That could only mean one thing, Vorlord Draco. The trio quickly slipped into the city and out of sight. Dragons quickly filled the sky, circled about as if they were searching for something. The three of them snuck through town, being extra careful to avoid the dragons' surveillance. They needed to reach Abosolon's place; They would be safe from any prying eyes there. They continued to sneak about, ducking through buildings and alleyways until Absolon's home was in sight. After one last scan of the skies to make sure they wouldn't be spotted, they made a beeline for the building. They had made it; Sanctuary was but a few feet away... Suddenly they were all stopped dead in their tracks by a powerful psionic energy.

"Oh goodie, it seems three little bugs have wandered into my web." that voice made Ava's fur stand on end.

Out from one of the buildings stepped Ava's worst fear. A Grumpig with a smug grin on his face; Vorlord Nefarious. He had haunted many of Ava's dreams, but seeing him in person was far more terrifying than any nightmare.

"I wonder who the mystery trio could be?" he said sarcastically before discarding their garbs with his power "Hello Ava, you're looking surprising well considering the condition I left you in." he said as he placed a paw on Ava's shoulder.

Ava cringed and shuddered violently as if his very touch would burn her.

"Leave her alone! Haven't you done enough to her already!" Ming shouted at the Grumpig.

"Oh on the contrary. I don't think she's suffered nearly enough." Nefarious replied with a wicked grin and looked Ava straight in the eyes "In fact, I have something special planned for her."

Ava was completely overwhelmed with terror. She couldn't think straight; She could only see herself back in that dungeon. No! No! Anything but that! Here mind overloaded with fear and she fainted from the shock.

"Aw, I didn't even get to the good part." Nefarious complained, but turned to Cedric and Ming "I'm going to take her to Ovorlord Oroburos, where she will treated to an exceptionally slow and painful death."

"You monster!" Cedric shouted as he formed a Shadow Ball in this paws and fired it at Nefarious.

The Grumpig narrowly sidestepped the ball of shadow energy "Oh, you still have some fight left in you huh? Well, I can fix that."

Nefarious fired several shard like projectiles at Cedric, pelting him mercilessly. Cedric cries of pain filled the air as the shards inflicted large gashes and harsh welts across his body.

"Stop it! You'll kill him!" Ming shouted desperately.

Nefarious stopped "You don't need to worry about that. I have no intention of finishing him off so quickly."

"How?... How did you know we would be here?" Cedric asked weakly.

"Oh, you can thank your little friend for that." Nefarious explained before looking at Absolon's house "Don't be shy. Come on out and take a bow."

An Emolga timidly emerged from the building.

The sight of the small electrical rodent filled Cedric with rage "Sora?! You're behind this?! You little traitor!" he shot at the Emolga.

"I'm sorry, but Nefarious said he would spare me if I turned you in." Sora apologized.

"You had this planned from the start, didn't you?! The only reason you were nice to us was so you could claim the bounty on Ava!" Cedric shot more accusations at Sora.

"It's nothing personal. I just did what I had to to survive." Sora tried to rationalize his actions.

"Oh, I so do love a good betrayal." Nefarious said gleefully "Nothing beats that look of anger and sorrow in the betrayed's eyes, well except when they realize they're going to die." he tacked on, eying them with hunger.

Suddenly another roar ripped through the air as a black Charizard descended from the sky and landed across from Nefarious.

"Nefarious! You didn't forget your end of our deal did you?!" Vorlord Draco asked in anger.

"Of course not." Nefarious lied "These two are all yours." he said indicating Cedric and Ming "Still, I could use a light snack for the road. Don't want to travel on an empty stomach."

Sora suddenly found himself surrounded by a psychic aura and floating towards Vorlord Nefarious.

"W-Wait! What are you doing?! You said you were going to spare me!" Sora shouted frantically.

"Oh but I am sparing you. I'm sparing you a life of guilt and regret." Nefarious said with an evil grin.

"N-No! This isn't what I wanted! Somebody please help me!" Sora begged looking into Cedric's and Ming's eyes, but they held no pity for him.

He was forced to look forward, into the eyes of his soon to be murderer. Nefarious's eyes glowed red as he made sure to Disable any of Sora's electric type moves. When it was done, Sora resumed his futile struggles.

"Please! Don't do this! I'll do anything you want!" Sora pleaded.

"What I want is for you to die screaming inside my stomach." Nefarious said darkly.

Sora froze in sheer terror as the full weight of his situation hit him. He wasn't just going to die; He was going to die in the most horrifying way imaginable. Nefarious opened his maw wide, his mouth salivating and his throat rippling in anticipation. This snapped Sora back to his senses and he began his struggles anew. His efforts proved fruitless though as he was levitated into Nefarious's maw.

Nefarious closed his lips around Sora's head and suckled his flavor. The rest of Sora's body flailed wildly as he was tasted. He pressed his paws against Nefarious's lips in an attempt to push himself free, but again it proved futile. Nefarious just snickered as he enjoyed tormenting the Emolga. Finally he opened his mouth again and pushed more of the Emolga into his maw. This time he let his tongue do the tasting as he ran it over Sora's body. The cape like membrane between his arms and torso was a bit tricky to work around, but it also carried a flavor all its own.

Although they didn't feel much pity for the traitorous Emolga, it was still a hard scene to watch for Cedric and Ming. After all, they were witnessing a fellow Pokemon being devoured alive right in front of them. Not only was the scene unsettling to watch in its own right, but it was also a preview to their own soon to be fate.

Sora was enjoying his position even less. The disgusting tongue continued to slather his body in stick saliva, filling him with fear and disgust. Nefarious's gullet was completely dark, save for the occasional rays of light that leaked through Nefarious's lips, granting glances of the pink, pulsating throat muscles eagerly awaiting Sora's arrival.

Nefarious's stomach groaned at his constant teasing and he decided it was time to send the Emolga along to his gut. Sora suddenly felt his body lurch forward, submerging his head into a tube of tight, warm flesh. Once the throat muscles had a hold of him, they began their job of rhythmically moving him down the esophagus. Cedric and Ming watched the last of the Emolga's body disappear inside of Nefarious's mouth and formed a noticeable bulge in his throat. Nefarious began to actively swallow, pulling the bulge down his throat and into his body.

Sora couldn't even struggle now as powerful muscles constricted him on all sides. He kept trying to conjure up electricity to force Nefarious to cough him up, but each attempt ended in miserable failure as his memory betrayed him. Soon his head squeezed up against a tight ring of flesh, halting his descent for an instant. Then with on final gulp, Sora was dropped into a pool of rank smelling liquid. He quickly struggled to right himself, somehow managing to get his head above the vile fluids that filled Nefarious's stomach. He started hyperventilating, his panicked mind still having trouble grasping the reality of his situation. After a few moments he managed to steady his breathing as he calmed down slightly. Perhaps this was karma; Punishment for betraying the others in an attempt to preserve his own life. He hugged himself tightly and tears began to stream down his face as he awaited his inevitable fate.

"Mmm, delicious." Nefarious said as he rubbed his slightly distended belly in satisfaction "Here you go Draco." he said as he levitated Cedric and Ming over to the Charizard "I wish I could stay and watch the show, but I'm afraid that Ovorlord Oroburos doesn't like to be kept waiting. Farewell you two, enjoy your time with Draco. I know he'll enjoy his time with you." Nefarious cackled before departing, his distended belly swaying as walked.

Sora could feel the stomach swaying as Nefarious moved, causing the putrid fluids to slosh about around him. It added a whole other level of discomfort to his already unpleasant situation. Unfortunately this was only the beginning of the Emogla's problems. Due to the constant motion, he hadn't noticed that the stomach was beginning to release gastric acids that were slowly coating his body. It wasn't until he began to feel a distinct tingling sensation that he realized what was going on. He was being digested! He began to panic again, pushing out against the stomach walls in an attempt to escape. The stomach stretched a little, but showed no signs of releasing him.

The tingling was quickly growing to unpleasant levels, especially on the sensitive membrane between his arms and torso.

"Please! Let me out!" Sora shouted desperately, but all Nefarious heard were muffled cries.

The only response Sora got was a groan from the stomach as it released more acid to aid in his digestion. Sora's skin began to burn as the digestive enzymes ate away at his flesh. Patches of fur started to fall from his body and join the putrid soup sloshing around him. His cape began to bubble and blister, sending strong signals of pain to Sora's brain. He cried out in shock, clutching his arms around his body tightly, trying to shield his sensitive membrane from the viscous stomach acid. But it was too late, the damage was already done.

Tears flowed freely from his eyes as pain wracked every corner of his body. He flailed and writhed in agony, but there was no escaping the onslaught on his senses. He didn't even know it was possible to feel this level of pain. Surely this was the worst hell imaginable. Unfortunately for him, he was soon proven wrong as the stomach walls suddenly contracted around him, grinding away at his burning flesh and raising his pain to new heights. After a few moments of this churning, the walls receded, leaving Sora in a sorry state. Much of his skin had been torn away, exposing sensitive muscles to the relentless stomach acids.

His body shuddered and twitched uncontrollably as his muscles were slowly destroyed. His cape was almost completely gone now, a few strands of flesh the only pieces that remained. The pain was overwhelming, causing him to cry out in constant agony. Another contraction from the stomach walls crushed the last of his strength from him. They tore at his body mercilessly, ripping dissolving muscles from his bones and adding it to the pool of chyme that was quickly rising around him.

When the walls retracted again, Sora was almost beyond recognition. What remained of his body floated motionlessly in the pool of chyme, save for the shallow rise and fall of his chest, indicting that he was still alive, if it could even be called that. Sora's senses started to dull as his mind began to shut down. He became vaguely aware of the rapid beating of his own heart, desperately clinging to life. But it was a futile effort. Soon the acid reached his internal organs, wasting no time in beginning to break them down. Sora felt one last flood of pain in the back of his mind, and then his heart stopped.