“Remember, no leaving the house, or inviting any of my friends over. I’d rather not come back to find my friends all gurgled.”

Sandy remembered the words of his trainer Urthdigger, before he’d gone off with Eccitaze for a date night. That… had been several hours ago. Now the diminutive sandshrew laid on his back in the living room, bored out of his skull.

He’d tried playing through his games collection, but everything he could think of he’d either already beaten, or he had rage quit on a boss or platforming section and didn’t feel like he’d forgiven it yet.

He briefly considered trying to find Dio for some fun, but quickly dismissed it. Their usual meeting place was technically on the property, being the start of the woods behind the house’s berry fields, and he wasn’t one of Urth’s friends so he wouldn’t be breaking the Order by meeting him, but the two had a slight falling out as of late.

Usually the sandslash/quilava hybrid was more than happy to be his partner in gluttonous crime, but last week he'd made the mistake of eating someone Dio actually cared about. Sandy had brushed off his partner's protests at the time, assuming Dio had only been saving the platypus for later. However, when he'd gone back to their usual meeting spot, he'd found the clearing burnt to the ground, and no sign of his former companion. He hadn't dared go back yet.

Instead, he fished his phone out of his bandana and began to flip through his contacts list. He filtered out all the people who were more friends with Urthdigger and began scrolling down for someone to invite over for a little fun. First one had a black X drawn over the icon, his usual “trophy” to indicate a prey that had long since gone through his guts. There’d be no inviting him over.

The second contact also had a black X over the icon.. And the third. And the fourth. He scrolled through the list, feeling a tingle of arousal from seeing all these lives that had ended in his stomach, but at the same time… did he have a single friend left? Even Dio, a feral and rival predator, had people he cared about enough to keep around. Unlike himself.

Sandy felt a terrible loneliness descend upon him. He stumbled out the back door of the house and walked in a daze out through the berry fields. Rows of figy and sitrus berries passed him on either side as he made his way to the middle of the field that was, in its own way, a graveyard. Most of his meals wound up here after his insides were done with them. Just fertilizer to grow into delicious berries to be more food. In a way, every friend he’d ever had was out here.

“Hey guys…” he begins, feeling a little silly in spite of the grim nature of things. “I know I said earlier when you all slipped down my throat… as I digested each and every one of you. But, I kinda miss you guys. Nice as it all was, it’s a little sad that I’ll never see you guys again.”

He stood there, thinking of what to say next. Brooding over what he’d done to all his friends. His appetite, that terrible lustful urge, that addiction to consuming living prey and especially those close to him… in a fit of rage he balled up his fist and slugged himself in the belly. Instant regret. He fell to his knees in the dirt, throwing up the remnants of his lunch. Still, he didn’t feel any different. If he didn’t have these monstrous desires, he wouldn’t have to be so alone.

His one man pity party over, he took an early night and retired to his room. There wasn’t much point staying up, he was too depressed to do much of anything. With any luck, he’d feel better in the morning.

The next thing he knew, he opened his eyes to the sun coming through the window. Things felt… different. He went through the hall to the kitchen, where Urthdigger and Eccitaze had already served a large plate of pancakes.

“Morning sleepyhead! Tire yourself out partying last night?” chided Eccitaze.

Sandy gave a tired noncommittal grunt and dug into his pancakes. Halfway through, he felt something he had never felt before. He felt… full! And this wasn’t even close to how much was in a person. He experimentally put his paw into his mouth and tugged on his cheeks. They hurt, no longer able to stretch as far as they liked. Attempts at dislocating his jaw likewise failed.

“I’m… huh, I’m not a predator anymore!” he said, mild amusement turning to glee.

Urthdigger looked at him in shock. “Really now? You’re just a normal sandshrew now?”

Sandy nodded enthusiastically, pushed the plate of pancakes away, and showed his limits to his trainer. “I’m safe to bring your friends around now?”

Both of them looked disappointed. Urthdigger sighed, got up from his chair, and walked into the living room. He returned with Sandy’s Dream Ball. “I see. So you’re just a boring, common animal. I don’t really need one of those.”

Urthdigger snapped the ball in his hands, a wind of change sweeping over Sandy as its hold was broken over him. No longer would he need to heed the mole’s orders. He had his freedom. “Wha-- Why did you just…?” he stammered.

“Get out of here,” demanded Urthdigger. Sandy was no longer compelled to obey, but he slunk his ears lows in shame regardless. Urth reached under Sandy’s scarf and snapped the translator collar off of him to seal the deal. “You’re not amusing anymore. I’ll get a snake or something that can satisfy my needs.”

Sandy tried to argue in his defense, but it was just unintelligible growls as far as his old trainer could hear. After a moment of blustering, he shut his mouth and marched out the door.

Out the road, he could feel eyes on him. His old neighbors were all watching him, whispering amongst themselves. He could make out bits and snippets here and there. They all knew. Asking if that was really the sandshrew they used to be afraid of. That a fearsome glutton like him could fall so low. He lowered his head and looked at his feet, trying not to pay attention to them as he left.

 He didn’t see the can of soda tossed through the air until it smashed into his muzzle, right between his eyes. He stopped, howling in pain and holding his bruise in pain. “Give me back my sister you asshole!”

Emboldened, townsfolk all around him were picking up cans, bottles, rocks, anything they could throw at him, and asking him to return the friends and family he’d taken from them. He ducked his head and began to run. Most of the ammunition bounced off his plates harmlessly, but he knew he couldn’t just curl up and wait for them to go away. He had to leave. He hopped off the road, through the long grass, and into the woods.

Sandy tried to hold back the tears. He’d lost his urges, but everything was worse now. He didn’t know how long he kept running, or where he was heading. He kept going until his lungs burned and he had to pause for breath. When he looked up, he found a familiar brown and cream figure in front of him. His sole remaining friend, Dio. He found his second wind and jogged up to him, hope welling up in his chest.

"Dio! Good news, I lost my appetite. I'm not a predator anymore, you don't have to worry about me hurting your friends anymore!" He exclaimed. Even if he lost his trainer and the fear of his old neighbors, surely he could have his old friend back right?

The larger pokemon looked down at him in amusement. "Is that so?" he asked as his paw reached down, wrapped itself Sandy's neck, and lifted him off the floor. The thumb of his paw crushed the sandshrew’s windpipe, his sharp claw dangerously close to puncturing it. “Then I guess you’re of no use to me anymore.”

Sandy was dimly aware that Dio was lounging in one of his lava baths, holding him scant inches from the surface. A bubble of molten magma formed on the surface and burst, splattering Sandy’s feet. He gave a strangled gurgle of pain, trying to pull his legs up to his chest. “Dio… why….?” he wheezed out. He could hardly breath, and what little air did get in scalded his lungs.

“Now that you won’t be bringing me anything to eat, and I don’t have to worry about you eating me yourself… you’re just another snack aren’t you, ‘Little Brother’?” Dio said with a chuckle, a dangerous glint in his eyes. One he’d seen many times, before an unfortunate prey vanished forever.

“Dio… I was your friend…” gasped Sandy. He desperately tried to relieve the pressure on his throat, his mind floundering to stay conscious from the lack of oxygen.

“Oh Sandy… you never had any friends.” Dio said, before tossing his meal into his mouth. Sandy scrambled to try and stop himself as he slid down the tongue, dropping off into the black abyss behind. As he fell endlessly into Dio’s stomach, he turned up, seeing those jaws close one last time and seal him forever.

*CRACK*

Sandy awoke in a daze, his head smacking the thankfully carpeted floor. He’d fallen out of bed, his feet still up there, tangled in the blanket. The familiar hunger in his belly told him it was just a dream, nothing more.

He walked through the hall to the kitchen where Eccitaze and Urthdigger had a plate of pancakes waiting for him. He greeted them, polished off the entire plate easily, and felt a momentary urge to eat the plate too. Same as usual. The events of the dream lingered in his mind. His predatory urges may have their downsides… but they were all that made him special, and it was too late to turn back now. Still… he could try to show some restraint and not eat ALL his friends. For now, he resolved to head back to the clearing and try to patch things up with Dio. Even a predator needed a friend now and then.